Pokémon Spring & Autumn, Volume 2
by ThuribleOD
Summary: Liam and his friends return to Everspring International Pokemon Academy in Nanzo after a long and uneventful summer. But Team Power has not been idle, and a new year will mean new friends, new trials, and new adventures with more at stake than ever before.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: Pokemon Spring and Autumn features a large cast of original characters. For a quick-reference guide to the main and secondary cast, check out my author profile.

* * *

"She's down there."

Claire pointed to a solitary figure winding through the copper-colored dunes ahead of them. Beside her, the two Team Power grunts urged their Staraptors forward to block the fugitive's escape. Claire pulled on the reigns of her Braviary and began a slow, unwavering descent. She wouldn't get away this time.

Dustra came to a halt as she felt the Staraptors pass overhead. She shielded her eyes as she turned to see Claire's Braviary gliding down behind her, casting a long shadow over the entire valley.

"Hmmph," she snorted, "It took you long enough."

As Claire's Braviary landed gracefully a few meters away, Dustra reached for the Pokeball dangling from her belt.

"Shizo belongs to Team Power," began Claire in a voice as cold as the desert wind, "You will return to Westpeace City with me and answer to the Grandmaster for your crimes."

"Does your daddy really have you running little errands?" said Dustra, her green eyes sparkling, "I guess you haven't found Rasmus yet."

Claire narrowed her eyes.

"I think you know where Rasmus is," said Claire, dismounting her Braviary and starting towards Dustra, "Tell me."

Dustra laughed.

"If you followed me all the way across the Tarkmalan Desert for that, you will be disappointed," sneered Dustra, "The Gym Leaders of Shizo put Rasmus away where you will never find him."

"You will tell the Grandmaster," said Claire through gritted teeth.

"I hear you never earned a badge back in Nanzo," said Dustra, looking down at her last Pokeball, "Are you sure you are a match for the bearer of the Dune Badge?"

"I'm sure," said Claire, "Bisharp, let's shut her up!"

"Camerupt," said Dustra, brushing the desert sand almost lazily off of her headscarf, "Let us put Team Power in their place."

* * *

"How much further, Vasi?"

Liam glanced up from his bowl of noodles at his friend Mori. She was looking at Vasilio with an annoyed expression—her large, black eyes reminding him that this trip had, after all, been his idea.

"Should be there by this afternoon" said Vasilio, his blue eyes meeting Mori's unblinking gaze, "Depending on how fast we go."

His tone was even and businesslike. Vasilio, more than anyone Liam knew, wasn't one to be prodded by Mori.

"We can make it," said Sylvia, adjusting her round glasses and checking her watch, "If you and Liam don't spend forever having breakfast."

Mori rolled her eyes and gave an exasperated sigh.

"I'm ready," she insisted, "Liam's the one who only woke up five minutes ago."

Liam slurped his noodles uncomfortably. Next to him, his Murkrow nibbled at the Poffins his classmate Stephanie had brought along.

"There's no rush," said Stephanie with a smile, "Five minutes won't be the difference between getting the badge."

Liam nodded appreciatively at Stephanie. This wasn't the first time he had been very glad she had come with them on their journey to the Karst Forest. Besides her expertise in nutritious Pokemon food and her knack for treating injuries—whether on people or on Pokemon—Liam couldn't deny that he just liked to look at Stephanie's sea green eyes, wavy brown hair, and aquiline nose.

"I'll be done in a minute," said Liam.

"Sounds like just enough time for a Pokemon battle," said Jonah, jumping from the embankment where he had been sitting, "Vasilio, you wanna go?"

"Sure," said Vasilio, and the two of them walked a few paces away from the small campfire. Vasilio took off his jacket and set it on the damp grass beside him. Jonah stretched his neck and cracked his knuckles. The jewel studs in his ears glistened in the early morning sun.

"Vasi's gonna lose so bad," muttered Mori.

Lima snorted. Above their heads, Mori's Misdreavus gave a malicious cackle.

"Hakamo-o, go!" said Jonah.

"Gogoat, let's do this!" said Vasilio.

Liam hurriedly finished his bowl as Gogoat and Hakamo-o traded blows. He had seen Vasi and Jonah battle enough times this summer to make instant noodles more interesting. Across from him, Mori was preparing Anastasia, her Bouffalant, for the day's journey. As she finished fitting the Pokemon with a black saddle, she paused, pushed a strand of black hair out of her face, and gave a long, anxious sigh.

"I'm really, really not looking forward to fighting Ashima," Mori muttered.

"She's not too bad," said Sylvia, who was cramming the girls' tent into a canvas bag, "At least Rock type is pretty easy to work around. She was my first badge back in 7th grade."

"Easy for you to say," said Mori, "Not everyone started Pokemon training when they were two."

Sylvia laughed.

"Not true," she said as she helped Stephanie and Mori load their camping gear onto Anastasia's back, "But I'll do the best I can to help you win. That's why I'm here, after all."

Sylvia adjusted her round glasses and gave a toothy grin. Mori only shrugged. Liam knew Mori didn't quite trust Sylvia after their class's clique-y middle school years, but Liam had learned to respect their classmate—and now student body president—over the previous semester. She was tirelessly energetic, and responsible beyond her years, but when she expressed concern for others, Liam somehow believed that she meant it. Despite all the perfectionism and ambition, she was still approachable.

"You okay, Liam?"

Liam realized that he had been staring at Sylvia and quickly turned to finishing his bowl of noodles. A few meters away, Jonah's Hakamo-o sent Vasi's Gogoat skidding through the grass.

"I told you he was gonna lose," whispered Mori.

Liam smiled. With a stretch, he rolled up his sleeping bag and stuffed it roughly into his backpack. He was glad to be on the road with Mori, Vasilio, and his other classmates again. Summer was almost over, but he was looking forward to autumn. The Nanzo region was finally starting to feel like home, but nowhere in Nanzo felt quite so much like home as Everspring International Pokemon Academy. In a strange way, he couldn't wait to be back at school.


	2. Chapter 2

Liam was surprised that Vasilio had managed to convince their parents to let them take another journey on their own after their near-disastrous trek to Jadetower City last spring, but he was especially amazed that Mori had been allowed to come along. If they hadn't been after the Limestone Badge—a graduation requirement at Everspring Academy—Liam was sure Mori would still be at home. Liam was glad Mori had gained a few days away from her father's stifling gaze, under whatever pretense. He only hoped the trip wouldn't include any unplanned encounters with Team Power. Liam didn't think Mr. Shaw would take that too well.

As Liam trudged along next to Mori—she had agreed to come only on the condition that she would ride Anastasia, her Bouffalant—he thought about how much they had been through together over the past few months. Liam felt like he had aged at least two years since the year began, but Mori hadn't changed much at all—apart, of course, from the blue streak in her black hair she had somehow been allowed to keep despite her parents' evident displeasure. Liam glanced at the purple Gengar-themed backpack Mori kept slung over one shoulder—the one other burst of color in her completely black wardrobe. He didn't dare look at Mori herself for very long. She was, at least in Liam's considered opinion, the prettiest girl in school, but she also had a sixth sense about being looked at, and she wouldn't hesitate to call him out.

After they had been traveling for a quarter of an hour, Mori surprised Liam by taking off her bulky headphones and turning to talk to him.

"You heard from your girlfriend recently?" she asked.

Liam sighed. He didn't really want to talk about Cass, especially not with Mori, but he decided to answer anyways.

"I got an email from her last week," said Liam, "She's doing okay. She's starting school again the same day we are, but she's had a pretty busy summer. She's already got two badges."

Mori's nostrils flared, but she didn't say anything.

"How long are you gonna keep calling Cass my girlfriend?" asked Liam.

"Last thing I saw you two were holding hands and drooling all over each other," said Mori matter-of-factly, "What changed?"

"Not to mention that kiss she gave you at the airport," put in Vasilio, who was riding next to them on his Gogoat, "That was…"

"There was tongue," said Mori.

Misdreavus, who was floating over Mori's right shoulder, cackled gleefully.

"Look," said Liam wearily, "It's not up to me. I like Cass a lot, but she's in Unova, and there's no chance for us to… well..."

Liam shrugged. This wasn't the first time that they had had this conversation this summer. Mori seemed just as disappointed as he was that his relationship with Cass hadn't worked out. At least, not in the way they had expected.

"Is that you talking or Cass?" asked Mori.

"Both," said Liam, "I think."

"Hurry up, you guys!" called Sylvia, who was about a stone's throw ahead of them, "Less chatting and more walking."

Liam was grateful for Sylvia's rescue, and the friends walked for some time in silence. Liam took the opportunity to admire the beautiful Nanzo countryside along Route 6. It reminded him of their trip to Jadetower in the spring—terraced hills and green valleys on either side, with small farming villages nestled amid glistening rice fields. The morning air was warm, and all around them, Liam heard the scuffling and twittering of unseen Pokemon.

As they approached the Karst Forest, Liam noticed limestone formations jutting starkly up out of the landscape. At first they were small and sparse—just rugged boulders and sharp stones scattered over the nearby hills. But as they neared the formal boundaries of the Karst Forest, the jagged gray stones sprung up like huge and ancient trees, giving the place a mysterious and almost otherworldly feeling. Tiny Pokemon scurried between the shadows of the huge stones; Liam thought he saw a Larvitar peeking out from behind a wall of limestone, but before he could pursue it, it vanished.

"Here we are," said Sylvia, pointing to an enormous limestone slab with ancient characters painted in black and red, "Welcome to the Karst Forest."

They gathered in front of the huge standing stone. Liam felt relieved that their journey on foot was over, but Mori had started to look nervous.

"So… this is a gym?" asked Liam.

"It's not just a gym," explained Sylvia, "It's one of Nanzo's most important cultural sites, a sacred place for Nanzo's ethnic minorities, and a major tourist spot. Hundreds of people visit here every day just to look at the limestone."

Liam had already noticed the surprising number of Nanzonese locals passing them in both directions on Route 10. Some were clearly Pokemon trainers, but even more were vacationing families, excitedly snapping pictures of the beautiful rock formations and picturesque landscapes.

"The gym's pretty deep in the Karst Forest," said Vasilio, "It's a bit of a maze."

"Great," said Mori, rolling her eyes, "Just what we need."

"I'll show you guys the way," said Vasilio, climbing back onto his Gogoat, "There's a Pokemon Center just ahead, right Sylv? Should we meet there when we're done?"

"Sure," said Sylvia, "Good luck, you guys! I'm rooting for you!"

Following Vasilio's lead, Liam, Mori, and Jonah started on the wide cobble road into the Karst Forest. Glancing back, Liam saw Sylvia and Stephanie unloading their backpacks. This had always been the plan; while Liam and the others earned their Limestone Badge, Stephanie and Sylvia would be collecting rock and plant samples for Professor Wort, their school's science teacher. Liam suspected that Stephanie was also on the lookout for new herbal remedies; as an aspiring Pokemon nutritionist, she was always eager for plants and berries to grind with her mortar and pestle.

"You guys want to stop by the Pokemon center?" asked Vasilio.

"Probably should," said Jonah, "I hear Ashima's serious business."

"She is," concurred Vasilio.

Liam and Mori glanced at each other nervously.


	3. Chapter 3

The inside of the Karst Forest lived up to its name—its paths wound between narrow gaps, up steep stairs carved into ancient rock, and beside dark, motionless pools. The deeper they went, the more the vibrant greenery of the surrounding countryside receded and the pockmarked grayish stone towered over them and closed in around them. If they had been alone, Liam would have found the fortress of jagged stone teeth a forbidding, ominous place, but the presence of hundreds of cheerful tourists freed him to admire the natural beauty around him. Mori clearly found the entire experience claustrophobic, and when they ducked through a needle's-eye opening between two massive stones and stepped out into a wide, open area, she visibly relaxed.

"This is it," said Vasilio.

Ahead of them, Liam saw a massive wall of limestone—perhaps three or four stories high—rising out of a large pool of still water. Like the standing stone at the Forest's entrance, it bore a painted inscription: "Karst Forest Pokemon Gym." Next to the pool was a league-official Pokemon battlefield carved into the limestone itself.

"Where's the leader?" asked Jonah.

Liam instinctively glanced up at the cloudy skies overhead. He had seen Ashima, the Karst Forest gym leader, once before—and she had been riding an Aerodactyl. The others looked up as well.

"Hello."

They all jumped. Without any of them noticing, a beautiful woman in a traditional outfit had somehow appeared right next to them. Everything about her was colorful, from the stripes of fabric and beads on her headdress to the ornate embroidery on her tunic. Her dark brown eyes were crinkled in a welcoming smile.

"Gym Leader Ashima," said Vasilio, doing his best to sound confident, "My friends are here to, uh, challenge the gym."

Ashima smiled ever more widely.

"And how do you like our Karst Forest?" she asked.

Liam glanced at his friends, not sure who she was addressing.

"It's… very beautiful," he stammered,.

Mori grunted.

"According to our legends, each of these stones was once a woman," said Ashima, gesturing to the limestone formations all around them, "All named Ashima. The first Ashima died of sorrow when she was forbidden to marry the man that she loved. But from her petrified flesh, the first Rock-type Pokemon were born."

_Screeee!_

Liam turned to see Ashima's Aerodactyl perching itself on the limestone wall above them. His heart sunk. He had been hoping he somehow wouldn't have to face Ashima's prehistoric Pokemon.

"Someday my body will provide refuge and shelter for the Forest's Pokemon, and another Ashima will take my place as gym leader," continued Ashima, reaching up to stroke the head of her Aerodactyl, "Until that day, I defend the traditions of my people, and the honor of my gym."

Her features had set, and for a moment Liam thought he saw centuries of rain, wind, and cold etched into the beautiful young face. But Ashima smiled again, and Liam couldn't remember how the previous impression could have arisen.

"So," said Ashima, "Who is my first challenger."

Liam raised his hand timidly.

"Good," smiled Ashima.

She recalled her Aerodactyl to its Pokeball and led Liam over to the limestone battlefield.

"You may use up to six Pokemon," she said pleasantly, "I will use only Aerodactyl."

"Okay," said Liam.

He felt his hands starting to tremble. He reached for the Pokeball containing Sneasel on his belt. Even in a five-to-one battle, he didn't have a good answer to Ashima's Aerodactyl.

"Aerodactyl," said Ashima, "Go!"

"Sneasel, go!" said Liam, much louder than he intended.

Sneasel peered determinedly up at its flying foe, crouching and extending its claws for the fight.

"Aerodactyl, Rock Slide!"

Liam winced. Vasilio had warned him about this. Ashima was a highly aggressive battler, using her Aerodactyl to sweep through unprepared teams. The prehistoric Pokemon took to the skies carrying talons filled with ancient limestone and began raining it on Liam's Sneasel.

Fortunately, they had already worked out a plan.

"Sneasel," said Liam "Avalanche!"

The Focus Sash around Sneasel's middle broke. The Pokemon leapt into the air, crashing into the Aerodactyl with the sound of cracking ice. The Aerodactyl gave a cry. Liam couldn't breathe. Was the battle already over?

"Aerodactyl," cried Ashima, "Iron Head."

Liam winced again, and watched in horror as Aerodactyl smacked his Sneasel out of the air as easily as swatting a gnat. His Pokemon tumbled for a few meters and then laid motionless.

"Sneasel, return," said Liam, recalling his fainted Pokemon.

Now what?

The plan had hinged on taking out Aerodactyl right away with Avalanche; Liam doubted any other Pokemon in his team could stand up to Ashima's ace. Still, he couldn't give up now.

"Beedrill, go!"

Liam knew Beedrill wasn't an ideal choice, but he needed the extra time.

"Aerodactyl, Rock Slide!" called Ashima.

"Beedrill, uh…"

Liam glanced around in panic.

"Use Tox—."

It was already too late. The torrent of stones buried his Pokemon. Liam didn't need to check whether Beedrill had fainted.

"Beedrill, return," said Liam, "Nuzleaf, go!"

The turn bought by Beedrill had given Liam time to think.

"Nuzleaf, Fake Out!"

Nuzleaf sprung forward, giving Ashima's Aerodactyl a defiant smack in the face. It wasn't much damage, but it was something, and it bought another turn. One more good hit, and Liam was sure the badge was his. Aerodactyl quickly recovered from the flinching blow.

"Aerial Ace!" shouted Ashima.

Liam's underleveled Nuzleaf didn't stand a chance. The sharp slash from Aerodactyl's stone talons knocked Nuzleaf off its feet and sent it skidding across the smooth floor of the battle arena.

"Nuzleaf, come back," said Liam, "Good job. Murkrow, it's on you."

Murkrow cawed aggressively as it burst from its Pokeball. Liam knew they would both have to move fast.

"Aerodactyl," said Ashima, "Rock Slide!"

"Murkrow, Sucker Punch!" shouted Liam.

Murkrow dived at Aerodactyl, striking it between the eyes with its sharp beak. Liam crossed his fingers. The Aerodactyl shuddered, twitched, but kept flying. Liam closed his eyes as the Rock Slide came crashing down onto his Murkrow.

"Crap," he said through gritted teeth.

Liam glanced around at his friends. Mori was staring at Ashima with her arms crossed, her face impassive. Vasilio gave Liam an encouraging nod.

"Finish it," said Vasilio, "You've still got one more."

Liam nodded and reached for his Eevee. He felt bad even asking his Eevee to take part in such an uneven battle, but he didn't have a choice. Maybe, somehow, he'd get lucky.

"Eevee, go!"

Eevee's tail twitched as it crouched low awaiting instructions.. Its readiness to battle encouraged Liam, even if he still didn't see a way to victory.

"Aerodactyl," said Ashima, her voice echoing off the ancient rocks, "Finish this battle. Rock Slide!"

"Eevee," shouted Liam, "Retaliate!"

Liam held his breath. Aerodactyl hurled the stones in its talons at Eevee, which had launched itself into the air with a cry.

Rock Slide missed. Eevee crashed into Aerodactyl with a resounding smack. The two Pokemon fell out of the air, Eevee landing on its feet as Aerodactyl slumped next to it. Liam bit his lip.

After lying still for a moment, Aerodactyl slowly crawled back onto its feet. The fight still wasn't over.

"Eevee, Quick Attack!" shouted Liam.

Eevee pounced on the Aerodactyl. The attack wasn't strong, but it didn't need to be. Aerodactyl shuddered, then collapsed.

"Aerodactyl, return," said Ashima, "Well done."

All through the battle, Ashima's face had been hard and cold. Now, without a visible change in body language, it relaxed back into a friendly smile.

"Thanks," said Liam, who was still breathing heavily, "That was… really hard."

"Liam," said Mori, grabbing him by the arm and pointing at his Eevee, "Look."

His Eevee had started to glow. Liam knew exactly what that meant. He wondered for a moment if he should try and interrupt the evolution process, but before he would do anything, it was over.

"Esss," cooed his Espeon.

Liam stared at his new Pokemon in surprise. Mori, however, started to laugh.

"That's a… that's a funny-looking Umbreon," she choked, "But, it's… it's cute."

Liam stooped down to pick up his Espeon. Its fur was still soft, but whereas Eevee's coat had been fluffy and coarse, Espeon's purplish fur was sleek and smooth. The Pokemon purred loudly as Liam struggled to carry it—Espeon was more than twice the size that Eevee had been.

"Congratulations," said Ashima, holding out his gray Limestone Badge, "The Karst Forest often brings new things out of a Pokemon."

Liam gave a slight bow as he reached awkwardly around his Pokemon to accept the badge. Ashima smiled.

"Thanks, Ashima," said Liam.

Jonah was next up to battle. As Liam sat down next to Mori to watch the fight, he was struck by a thought.

"Mori," he said, taking the Soothe Bell from around Espeon's neck and handing it to her, "You should take this back. Espeon doesn't need it anymore."

Mori accepted the Soothe Bell with a slight blush and quickly shoved it into her backpack.

"I've done pretty well without it," she said defensively, "In case you haven't noticed."

"I've noticed," said Liam, "Thank you for lending it to me."

"I lent it to Espeon," said Mori, stroking the cat-like Pokemon behind the ears.

"Yeah," said Liam, smiling to himself, "Of course."


	4. Chapter 4

Liam, Mori, Vasilio, and Jonah met Sylvia and Stephanie at the Karst Forest Pokemon center around dinner time. The day had been a huge success—even Mori had earned a Limestone Badge, bringing her total up to three despite her best efforts to the contrary. Stephanie and Sylvia admired Liam's new Espeon and spread off their finds for the day, including some Energy Roots and a basketful of rare Strib Berries.

"I can't believe we're going back to school next week," said Jonah as they sat around a steaming hotpot, "You guys think we'll get anyone new in our class this year?"

"No way," said Sylvia, "Liam was a fluke. Our class never gets new kids."

"Fine with me," said Mori through a mouthful of tofu.

"With Rain gone, we could use another girl," said Vasilio, "You know, gotta keep our feng shui in balance."

"That is not how feng shui works," laughed Sylvia, "Believe me, I would know. Every time my aunt visits she starts rearranging my room so I can't even get to my bed."

They all laughed. Liam reached into the pot with his chopsticks to fish out another slice of potato.

"Ruth gets back from Ferrum on Friday," said Stephanie, "And that's everyone."

They were all quiet for a while. Liam dunked the potato slice into his bowl of broth and took a bite. By his ankles, his Espeon was snoring contently.

"I like our class," said Liam at last.

"Do we make you regret leaving Johto a little bit less?" asked Vasilio.

"Yeah," said Liam, "Just a bit."

* * *

Claire waited a long time outside the Grandmaster's office. It made her nervous. Capturing Dustra, the last of the former gym leaders of the Shizo region, should have restored her access to the Grandmaster after what had happened in Nanzo in the spring. She had spent the last three months working hard to get herself back in good standing with him. Dustra should have been her ticket.

When she was finally ushered into his office, she found the Grandmaster accompanied by two attendants, who were carefully painting his face into an ornate white and gold Beizo opera mask. To his left stood Zhang, his adjutant—a coldhearted bootlicker that Claire loathed.

"Come in, Claire," said the Grandmaster.

His voice was soft, but emotionless. Claire approached somewhat reluctantly.

"I brought in Dustra," she said, "Just like you asked."

Claire set the belt of Pokeballs she had confiscated from Dustra on the Grandmaster's heavy wooden desk.

"Good," said the Grandmaster, motioning for the attendants to leave the office and taking the Pokeballs to examine them, "That should be the end of resistance in Shizo, at least for now."

Claire nodded, but didn't say anything.

"Is there anything else?" the Grandmaster asked.

Claire hesitated. There was a lot she wanted to ask.

"Dad, I'd like to…."

She paused, then decided to start over.

"Grandmaster, I'd like to go back to Nanzo."

The damage had already been done. The Grandmaster leaned back imperiously in his chair, touching the tips of his fingers together.

"And what of Rasmus?" he asked, "Did you learn anything from Dustra?"

His voice was calm, almost soft, but Claire heard the hint of icy disappointment. She lowered her eyes.

"No," she said, shaking her head, "She… she didn't tell me anything."

"Then your work in Shizo is not yet complete," said the Grandmaster, rising from his chair with Dustra's Pokeballs in his hands.

"They're not going to tell us," muttered Claire.

"We will find a way," said the Grandmaster, eyeing the Pokeballs with contempt, "It's simply a matter of applying the right kind of pressure in the right place. Team Power values both strength and knowledge. The more you know of your enemy and the less they know of you, the greater is your power over them. So, what is the point at which these gym leaders will break?"

Despite herself, Claire shuddered.

"Their Pokemon," she said.

The Grandmaster nodded.

"Given the choice between giving up Rasmus and seeing Pokemon suffer, they will make the wise decision," he said, "Begin with Dustra. She is the youngest, and will have the least strength of will. If she does not see reason, another of the gym leaders will."

Claire nodded, and the Grandmaster handed Dustra's Pokeballs back to ber.

"I am restoring you as an Admin of Team Power," said the Grandmaster as Claire was about to turn and leave, "Remember the mistakes of your past and do not repeat them."

"Yes sir," said Claire with a bow, "Thank you,"

With a final contemptuous glance at Zhang, Claire left the room. She was torn. She knew that, on one level, she had pleased her father—he never would have restored her Admin status for any other reason. That was a victory—she had finally repaired the damage done by her failure in Nanzo three months ago. However, her eagerness to return to Nanzo still seemed a weakness to him. Perhaps it was. The one virtue of Team Power that Claire never could seem to master was patience. She wanted to go back to Nanzo and force her former friends to respect her. They had humiliated her over and over again, and she wanted—no, she needed—to put them in their place.


	5. Chapter 5

Liam really, really didn't feel like getting up on the first Monday of the autumn semester. The long summer had utterly ruined his sleeping schedule, and he spent most of his ride on public bus 77 dozing with his head against the window. If Vasilio hadn't nudged him as they arrived at the stop for school, Liam probably would have kept riding the bus all the way to the end of its route. Stepping out onto the familiar school stop, however, woke him up more effectively than anything else he had tried that morning. He was excited to see his friends again.

Liam bumped into Taylor almost immediately. Taylor had been in Unova all summer, and he was eager to hear about what had been going on in Nanzo during his absence.

"I heard you guys went to the Karst Forest," he said, pushing a strand of long black hair out of his face, "Did you beat Ashima?"

"Yeah," said Liam, showing Taylor his badge, "Just barely."

"She's a tough one, dude," said Taylor, "Good job beating her. It took me three tries. She's probably the worst in Nanzo."

"How was Unova?" asked Liam.

"Dude, I spent the whole summer doin' nothing but eating and skating," said Taylor, "Pretty sure I ate a Snorlax's weight in just tacos. I love tacos. They should invent tacos in Nanzo."

Liam laughed.

"Oh, and Cass says hi," said Taylor with a grin, "I asked if she wanted me to deliver a kiss, but she said no. However…"

Taylor reached into his bag and produced a large package of Sweet Hearts.

"Don't eat 'em yourself," said Taylor, "They're for Pokemon."

"Thanks," said Liam, putting the package into his backpack.

"What's Team Power been up to?" asked Taylor as they turned onto the road leading to the school's main gate.

Liam shrugged.

"Nothing in Nanzo," he said, "You didn't miss much."

"Nothing much anywhere else, either," said a familiar voice.

Arthur, Sylvia's older brother and the former study body president, had been waiting for them on the curb. Arthur had jet black hair—his parents were Nanzonese— but Liam noticed that he wasn't wearing his usual glasses.

"Hey, dude," said Taylor, giving Arthur a hug, "Did you listen to that demo I sent you?"

"Man, I'm a senior now," said Arthur apologetically, "I've got a lot to do."

"Oh, shut up," said Liz, Arthur's girlfriend, "You've been playing video games all summer."

Liz was a thin Unovan girl with curly blonde hair that fell to her shoulders. As usual, she was wearing a wool cardigan and a playful expression.

"Cass says hi," said Taylor, giving Liz a hug, "Where's Rebecca?"

Liz shrugged.

"She must have gotten up late," she said, "Or she's already drooling over a certain white-haired 10th grader."

Liam chuckled.

"Are they a thing yet?" asked Taylor as they continued towards the school, "Like officially?"

Liz shrugged again.

"Liam?"

"Not so far as I know," said Liam.

"People spend forever in the 'technically-not-dating' phase here," said Liz, "Not everybody moves as fast as Liam."

Taylor snorted. They had reached the school's main gate—over their heads, red and black lettering on the gate's arch spelled out "Everspring International Pokemon Academy." The Mightyena that lived by the guard shack wagged its tail excitedly as they passed. Liam excused himself from the group as he spotted Mori sitting alone on a ledge by the school cafeteria.

"Yo," said Mori, without looking up from scrolling through her iPod.

"You waiting for Dustin?" asked Liam.

Mori shook her head.

"Even without Rain to snitch on me, I should probably play it safe on the first day back. I'm aiming for a 20% reduction in 'being grounded' this year."

Liam chuckled, but he was also surprised by his friend's uncharacteristic desire to keep out of trouble. He wondered how long that would last.

"Is there an assembly this morning?" asked Liam, looking around at the other students in the school's main courtyard.

"There always is," said Mori, climbing to her feet with a slight wince, "Speaking of which, we should probably grab the seats in the back row before they're gone."

Liam hesitated for a moment.

"What?" asked Mori.

"It's… nothing," said Liam, shaking his head.

"Okay then," said Mori, still looking at him curiously, "Let's go."

Liam nodded and started walking with Mori towards the school atrium.

"Was that where she told you?" asked Mori, "I mean, told you that she was leaving?"

"Yeah," said Liam, avoiding Mori's eyes, "It's… nevermind."

"Hey," said Mori, stopping and turning around so suddenly Liam almost crashed into her, "I'm sorry for bugging you about Cass all summer. I know you're dealing with it too, even if it's not the way I would."

"Thanks," said Liam.

He did his best to smile. Mori seemed satisfied.

"C'mon," said Mori, flicking Liam on the shoulder, "Let's go find Vasi before he does something stupid like sit with Rebecca instead of us."

"Good idea," said Liam, and together they entered the school's main doors and stepped into the atrium, where hundreds of seats were already filling up with students awaiting the principal's beginning-of-the-year address.


	6. Chapter 6

"Hey guys," said Vasilio as he climbed into the chair between Mori and Liam in the back of the school atrium.

"Hey Vasi," said Liam, "What took you so long?"

Vasilio reached into his backpack and passed an erkuai—a Nanzo speciality consisting of fried dough wrapped in a rice tortilla—to each of them.

"Breakfast," said Vasilio, "You're welcome."

Mori began devouring her erkuai greedily, but Liam was still looking suspiciously at Vasilio.

"I thought you were with Rebecca," he mumbled.

At the far end of the school atrium, Principal Kahakai and Miss Snyder, the guidance counselor, had taken the stage to wild applause.

"Who says I wasn't," replied Vasilio, lowering his voice even as he clapped along with the rest.

"Good morning!" said Principal Kahakai, her voice magnified a bit too loudly by the microphone, "Good morning, everyone, and welcome back! We are so excited to be beginning a new year, and we hope you've all had an exciting and restful summer and have come back ready to learn and to serve others."

"Learning," grumbled Mori through a mouthful of erkuai, "Hooray."

"We have lots of exciting plans for this year," continued Principal Kahakai, beaming at the students, "And I know I'm speaking for all our staff and faculty when I say we can't wait to get started."

"I think if Werner ever got excited about anything I'd be worried," said Mori.

Liam snorted. He could just see Professor Werner's untidy white hair in one of the front rows.

"As with every semester," said Principal Kahakai, who looked to Liam like she was about to burst with enthusiasm, "We are joined by new students from around the world. If you are new to Everspring International Pokemon Academy this year, please stand."

Liam was relieved to be sitting and clapping this time around. He clapped along with the others and indulged in the game of trying to spot new students who looked around their age. Liam could see maybe three or four students that looked like they could be high school. The applause gradually died away and the new students sat back down.

"One of the new kids is in 9th grade," whispered Vasilio.

"Dang," replied Liam, "That class just keeps getting bigger."

Last year's 8th grade class had been the largest the school had ever seen. Liam knew a few of them from math class—enough to know that their class was loud, fun-loving, and a little too dramatic for his tastes.

"And now," said Principal Kahakai, "Let me introduce you to your student body president: Sylvia Liu!"

Liam, Vasilio, and Mori joined in the enormous applause that greeted Sylvia as she climbed onstage, grinning embarrassedly in the same way her brother Arthur had last year. Liam knew Sylvia would make an excellent president, and he was proud of her. But even as Liam felt glad for his classmate, the experience was bittersweet.

It should have been Cass.

As Sylvia ran through the various events the student government was planning that year—from the first lock-in two weeks away to the Spring Banquet in May—Liam was thinking about Cassandra McCloud. The summer, somehow, had been easy. They had emailed every week. Liam had thought about Cass a lot, but he spent most days with Vasilio and Mori, either hanging around near New Court or at the skatepark. Those places didn't remind him of Cass. Being back in school did.

"That's all from the student government," said Sylvia, "Miss Snyder?"

Sylvia handed the microphone to the school guidance counselor. Miss Snyder was a woman of about thirty with dirty-blonde hair—young enough to keep the students on their toes and experienced enough to not take any crap from anyone.

"Elementary teachers, you can take your classes now," she said sweetly, "Have a great year!"

The elementary slowly shuffled out of the atrium. When they were all gone, Miss Snyder turned to remaining secondary students with the air of a colonel addressing unruly recruits.

"All right, listen up," she said, "You're all going to go to your homerooms to get your schedules. If you have any issues with them, come see me during morning break. No earlier."

Several hands shot up.

"If your questions begin with 'what if,'" prompted Miss Snyder wearily.

"...put your hands down!" the students shouted back.

Liam smiled. He liked Miss Snyder's no-nonsense attitude.

"Permission slips for the lock-in are with your homeroom teachers," she continued, looking over her notepad, "Those are due by Friday—no negotiations."

"You guys gonna go?" asked Liam.

"I can't," said Mori gloomily.

Liam didn't ask for further explanation. He knew Mori's dad rarely let her go to anything that sounded fun.

"I am," said Vasilio, "Taylor and Robert somehow convinced Christine to let them DJ a dance party. It's gonna be wild."

"Ah," said Liam.

That sounded a little too wild for him.

"Alright, off to your homerooms," said Miss Snyder, "Have a good year."

Liam, Mori, and Vasilio picked up their backpacks and started for the main stairs. Behind them, the Machokes that worked with the janitorial staff were already stacking the chairs and tearing down the stage from the atrium. As they pushed past other students and deposited their things in their lockers, Liam found himself smiling. He was back in a rhythm, back with his friends, and there was a whole year's worth of possibilities ahead of him.


	7. Chapter 7

"We have Coach Tang for what?!"

Mori was staring at her schedule with abject horror.

"Pokemon Chemistry," repeated Professor Rollon, "7th period."

"Oh my god," she groaned, "Twice in one day? Where's Professor Wort?"

"Coach Tang always teaches Pokemon Chemistry," said Sylvia, who was already marking her schedule with a highlighter, "Professor Wort has to teach advanced classes."

Mori sunk into a despairing stupor with her head in her hands. Liam wasn't too pleased by having Coach Tang twice either, but he thought she was overreacting. Apart from PokeChemistry with Coach Tang, there wasn't anything too surprising on his schedule: Unovan Literature with Rollon, Pokemon Breeding & Care II with Huang, Math with Alexander, and Advanced Tactics with Werner. After lunch, they had Battle Class with Tang and Unovan History with Shrike. Pokemon Chemistry wasn't the ideal way to end the day, but at least they'd all be in it together.

"You'll survive, Mori," said Vasilio, folding his schedule and putting it into his backpack, "I'd be more worried about Advanced Tactics if I were you."

"It's supposed to be the hardest class, right?" asked Stephanie.

Ruth nodded.

"I have been studying all summer," she said, "And I'm still worried."

Mori's eyes grew wide, but Liam laughed. Ruth was the class's overachiever—he had missed her spunky attitude and stout friendship over the summer. Ruth was short, with long, black hair usually tied into a ponytail. Quiet and modest, she was easy to underestimate. Liam, however, had long learned to respect Ruth as one of the smartest and bravest people he had ever met.

The first morning back was mostly uneventful. Liam knew what to expect in Literature and Pokemon Care, and Math with the 9th graders was barely distinguishable from the previous semester. Professor Werner, looking even more ancient and weathered than last year, scowled and growled his way through the syllabus for Advanced Tactics.  
"This is the most challenging class you will take at Everspring International," he said menacingly, "Miss Snyder tells me this is the most commonly repeated class in the entire curriculum. My standards are high, and your success in this class is more important now than ever. You can scrape by with a C. That's what Team Power would want and expect from you. Do better for your own sake."

Liam nodded. Next to him, Mori was staring very determinedly at her shoes.

"If you haven't yet joined a Pokemon Team," Werner continued, "I would strongly recommend it. Submit yourself to the discipline of the ancient schools. Practice what you learn."

Werner leaned on his cane and peered down at them. Liam suspected that despite his severity, Werner had something of a soft spot for their class.

"Here is your first assignment," he said, "I want you to have this read by next Monday."

A wiry Tyrogue—a new addition to Werner's classroom since last year—began distributing copies of a small, red book. Liam recognized it at once: _The Art of Battle_, the ancient manual of Pokemon tactics. Its author had been a disciple of the School of Power, the predecessors of the modern Team Power during the Spring and Autumn period. Liam opened the book with curiosity.

"For the rest of this year, this book is your life," growled Werner, "Read it, memorize it, criticize it—master its teachings inside and out. Learn to love it. Learn to hate it."

Werner gave a grim smile.

"Let's have a quiz to see how much you've forgotten since last year."

Even Sylvia jumped a little. Liam groaned along with the others and took out his pencil and class notebook. This was Werner's way of reminding them that while he may be on their side, he wasn't theirs to tame. He would work them, and work them hard, because he knew Team Power was doing the same.

Chelsea's dead Scraggy was clearly still at the back of his mind.


	8. Chapter 8

Liam's class ate lunch together at the squat tables of the Traditional Ji Minority Restaurant just around the corner from the school's main gate. Sylvia—the only Nanzonese local in their class—ordered everything, and they were soon digging into a feast of fried rice, mixed vegetables, toothpick meat, and other local dishes. Liam and Ruth's chopsticks fought over every piece of meat, Stephanie sipped her tea placidly, and Vasilio and Sylvia poured over plans for the fall break.

"Can't we just have one break where we don't murder our legs?" complained Mori.

"Oh, we're taking the train this time," said Sylvia. "Hempshear's too far away to walk."

Mori looked relieved, but still a little reluctant.

"Isn't that the Steel-type gym?" asked Jonah.

"Yeah," said Sylvia, pushing her round glasses back up her nose. "Should be easy for you, right? With your Hakamo-o?"

"I guess," said Jonah with a shrug. "I don't know, man. Steel types make me nervous. We don't have that many back in Alola, and the ones we do have weird me out."

"Don't Alolan Dugtrio have thick hair made of spun steel?" asked Stephanie with her usual clinical interest.

"Yeah," said Jonah, making a disgusted face, "like I said, they weird me out."

Mori's Misdreavus, which was floating in the air above them, made a derisive face at Jonah.

"That's rude," said Mori.

She swatted at Misdreavus with her chopsticks as the Pokemon tumbled out of reach with a giggle.

"She learned it from you," said Vasi, giving Mori a flick on the shoulder.

Mori stuck her tongue out at Vasi and continued to eat her fried rice.

"Guys, you better hurry up," said Sylvia, checking her watch. "Battle Class starts in five minutes."

Ruth, who had just filled up her bowl for the fourth time, gave a startled yelp.

* * *

"Hurry, hurry, hurry! Time to start!" shouted Coach Tang.

She blew her whistle again as the secondary students circled around her. Coach Tang was very short, with black hair, thick glasses, and a thick accent that betrayed her origins as part of the Nanzonese diaspora in the distant coastal city of Liontide.

"Battle Class is very serious," she said, wagging a finger at them all. "Not a time to play around. Battle well now and you will battle well later."

The 9th graders looked with trepidation at the small woman, but the older students smiled knowingly: Coach Tang always started strict, but she was too easily persuaded (and distracted) to keep up the act for long.

"Now, I will assign battle partners," said Coach Tang, holding up a clipboard. "When I call your name, you go to your partner."

As always, Coach Tang started with the older students and worked her way down. Vasilio and Mori were paired together, much to Mori's relief, but as Coach Tang made her way down the list, Liam realized with alarm that he was the odd one out in their class.

"Liam Holbrook," said Coach Tang, "you go with Marsha Cheong."

Liam felt a little better. He didn't know Marsha that well, but he had seen the 9th grade student around. He knew she was good friends with Chelsea Whitaker—she had been there the day a Team Power grunt had crushed Scrafty's rib cage under his boot. They had never talked about it before, and Liam felt like this wasn't the time to bring it up.

"Hi Liam," said Marsha, "How was your summer?"

Her voice had a businesslike cheerfulness to it that put Liam off balance at once. Her thick black hair fell well below her shoulders, and she wore the odd combination of a ratty, oversized hoodie and a miniskirt. It reminded Liam, in a way, of Cass's unusual fashion sense.

"F-fine," he stammered, "I just, uh, stayed here. What about you?"

"I went back to Ferrum," she said, "I spent the summer at battle camp."

"Oh," said Liam.

Liam knew students from Ferrum often spent their summers at battle camp, memorizing stats, abilities, and complex type combinations. Liam didn't think much of the idea—surely actual battles provided better training than sitting at a desk—but he knew it was a futile argument to take up.

"So, how many badges do you have?" asked Marsha.

Liam held up his canvas bag where he had pinned his three badges.

"Oh," said Marsha, "Only three? I thought that someone in your class had five badges."

"Sylvia does," said Liam with a frown, "I think Ruth does too."

Liam wasn't sure what to think of Marsha's abruptness and inquisitiveness. She spoke with careful enunciation, which had the double effect of making everything she said sound rehearsed and disguising what exactly she was thinking.

"I heard Cassandra McCleod already acquired two badges in Unova," said Marsha.

Liam raised his eyebrows at the word "acquired."

"Yeah, she did," Liam said. "You saw her battle last year, right?"

Liam immediately wondered if he had said too much. He was thinking of the Woven Bowl, when he and Cass had battled Jiu and his grunts.

"I did," said Marsha. "She is very talented."

Liam looked at Marsha curiously. He saw nothing in her expression that suggested the image of Jiu crushing Chelsea's Scraggy under his boot replaying in her mind. Liam immediately felt suspicious—either Marsha was unusually adept at concealing her true thoughts and emotions, or what happened at the Woven Bowl all those months ago hadn't affected her in the same way it had him.

Coach Tang blew her whistle again.

"Time for the first battles," she shouted. "Ruth, Stephanie, you battle there. Robert, Chelsea, you battle on the second field. Rebecca—"

The battles were starting, and Liam was glad for an excuse not to talk to Marsha. She was a hard one to read, and Liam wasn't all that skilled at reading people to begin with. With a mumbled excuse, Liam slipped away from his battle partner and joined Vasi and Mori on the sidelines.

"So I'm guessing you haven't fallen in love with Marsha yet?" whispered Mori with a smirk.

"Yeah, no," said Liam, crossing his arms and watching as Ruth's Pidgeot narrowly dodged an Aura Sphere launched by Stephanie's Lucario.

"I'm proud of you," said Mori.

"Not falling in love with a freshman on the first day back isn't a very high bar," Vasilio pointed out.

"I guess for me it's progress," said Liam.

Mori snorted.


	9. Chapter 9

"That wasn't that bad," said Vasilio as they left Professor Tang's Pokemon Chemistry class.

"Yet," said Mori. "Look, I can barely understand her when she's talking about Pokemon battles. How am I gonna learn how to make a potion from her?"

"Just get Vasilio to explain it to you afterwards," suggested Liam. "That's what I'm gonna do."

They passed the alcove where the high school lockers stood.

"Give me a sec," said Mori. "No way I'm taking all these books home."

Liam and Vasilio waited as Mori fumbled with her locker. It always took her several attempts to get the combination right.

"Hey," said Vasilio, pointing to the locker next to Liam's, "they gave Chelsea Cass's old locker."

He was right. The laminated paper name tag that had previously read "C. McCleod" had been replaced—a new tag now spelled out "C. Whitaker '' in bold black ink. Liam felt a weird sense of longing he couldn't explain. Being ambushed by Cass at his locker had been something Liam's secretly looked forward to every day. He was going to miss it.

"Okay," said Mori, "let's get to the bus."

On their way to the stairs, Liam noticed Professor Werner standing in the door of his classroom, leaning on his cane. Liam gave him a nod of acknowledgement, but Werner beckoned him over with a wrinkled, wiry hand.

"Team Virtue meetings start again on Thursday as usual," croaked Werner. "Timothy is going to be quite busy with his other responsibilities—I'm depending on you to train and lead our new recruits."

"Okay," said Liam.

The idea that Professor Werner was depending on him wasn't exactly heartening.

"That's all," said Werner, giving Liam the slightest of bows. "You can go, I'm sure you have very important ways of wasting your time that I'm interfering with."

Liam smiled and returned Professor Werner's bow. Criticism and affection were two sides of the same coin for Werner, and Liam would take what he could get. He caught up with Vasilio and Mori, and together they made their way down the stairs, out the main gate, and around the corner to the public bus stop. They found it crowded with other students waiting for the Number 77. Among them was Taylor, already complaining about the homework he had received from the first day of 11th grade, as well as Rebecca and Liz. Rebecca smiled when she saw Vasilio and strode over to them with the ease and confidence of claiming something that belonged to her.

Like Taylor, Rebecca was in 11th grade, a group that reminded Liam much more of the large and raucous 9th grade than of his own more reserved classmates. She was tan, with a square jaw, dimples, and large black eyes. She had spent most of her life outside her home region of Ferrum—including a few years in Unova—leaving her equally comfortable with both cultures. She played violin in I Am Munchlax, which was either Vasilio's band or Taylor's band or Arthur's band—Liam had never been quite sure. Rebecca's interest in I Am Munchlax's white-haired bass player had become more and more obvious over the course the previous semester. At first, Vasi had been reluctant—between a longtime unrequited crush on Sylvia and a complicated attraction to Mori, Vasilio had plenty of other girls on his mind. But Rebecca had been persistent, and flirtatious, and pretty. Vasilio—usually stubborn, principled, and rational—had been won over. He and Rebecca weren't "dating," but they were as close to it as they could be without putting a formal label on it.

"Ew," said Mori, looking at Rebecca and Vasi with disgust.

They were having a whispered conversation next to the bus stop sign. Liam looked sideways at Mori.

"She's not right for him," said Mori, trying her best to look unconcerned as she pulled out her iPod and began picking a song.

"You jealous?" asked Liam.

"Nope," said Mori with an air of unconcern. "I've got what I want. Vasi just needs someone with a little more…"

She shrugged and put on her headphones. Liam knew that meant the conversation was over. He smiled to himself at the idea of Mori caring enough about Vasilio to be annoyed. He agreed that Rebecca didn't really feel "right" for Vasilio, but he wasn't one to judge. Cass hadn't been the first girl he'd crushed on at Everspring—the black-haired girl bobbing her head to Slipknot next to him held that distinction—but while Cass's obvious interest in him had helped his own feelings along, it had never been one-sided. He assumed that was true for Vasilio as well.

Bus 77 arrived. Liam scanned his bus pass and squeezed his way to the back, clutching closely at his canvas backpack. There were no seats open, so Liam grabbed one of the handles as the bus gave a slight jolt and started rumbling its way towards New Court. Mori grabbed the handle next to his, still bobbing her head to her music and paying no attention to him or anyone else. The other students were soon deep in lively conversation about their expectations for the year, but Liam felt strangely separate from them. Vasi, Taylor, and the others were the Everspring old guard—they watched teachers, principals, and other students come and go, but for them, every year was just like the last. Losing friends, even good friends, was normal. Secretly, Liam wondered just how much difference his absence would have made.

He glanced down at Mori, who had just taken a seat vacated by a Nanzonese woman. She looked up at him inquisitively, and with more than a hint of annoyance.

"What?" she asked, taking her headphones off. "And don't say 'nevermind' or anything dumb like that."

Liam grinned self-consciously.

"How long does it take before you feel like you belong?"

Mori rolled her eyes.

"What makes you think I feel like I belong?"

"You've been here way longer than me," said Liam, lowering his voice as disembarking passengers nudged by, "You've got, I don't know… you fit. How long does it take to fit?"

Mori smiled despite herself.

"I think you fit alright," she said. "Our school needs someone who's overly-anxious, girl-crazy, and lucks his way through every Pokemon battle."

Liam grinned. He was torn between being pleased and being embarrassed, but it was a good feeling.

"Now that I've seen to your fragile ego," said Mori, "There's a KoRn song I need to get back to."

"Thanks, Mori," said Liam.

"Mmhmm," she said, lifting her headphones back onto her head. "Dork."


	10. Chapter 10

Stepping through the door of his family's apartment in White Gardens, Liam found their pet Furfrou levitating nervously over the dining table, paddling its paws through the air.

"Espie," he said, "put Furfrou down."

Furfrou flopped onto the table, knocking over a half-filled cup of water. Liam rushed over to help Furfrou down and started cleaning up the mess. By his ankles, he felt Espeon purring.

"You need to stop terrorizing her" said Liam. "Your psychic powers are going to your head. I'll keep you in your Pokeball if you can't behave."

Espeon mewed innocently up at him,

"Don't even try that," said Liam, setting down his canvas bag and taking out the Sweet Hearts Taylor had given him.

"From Cass," explained Liam, "and Furfrou gets hers first."

Espeon made a face and scampered off upstairs. It had gained a bit of an attitude since it evolved—it wanted, so far as Liam could tell, to explore its newfound power while continuing to be treated as a spoiled pet. Liam gave a Sweet Heart to Furfrou.

"Sorry about that," he said. "Espie will get over himself eventually."

Furfrou devoured her Sweet Heart eagerly. Her tail started to wag again, which Liam took as a good sign. He passed another Sweet Heart up to the Sneasel on his shoulder, who sniffed it suspiciously before swallowing it whole. As Furfrou trotted off, Liam picked his bag back up and trudged up the stairs to his room.

Liam's bedroom was small and rectangular, barely wide enough for anything besides his bunk bed, a small bookshelf, and a desk for his laptop. As Liam closed the door, Sneasel climbed off his shoulder and scaled its way to its favorite perch on his top bunk. Espeon was already curled up on his bed, taking a sort of resentful nap on his favorite blanket. Liam smiled. After releasing Murkrow, which fluttered over to its usual spot on the wooden bookshelf, Liam sat down at his laptop. He hadn't been expecting an email from Cass, but his heart fluttered a bit when he saw a new email titled "Something for you" in his inbox. He clicked it with trembling fingers.

_Hi Liam,_

_I guess you're probably starting school really soon. We've still got a month before school starts in Castelia. Bonus time from not having Lunar New Year, I guess. I hope your first day back goes well. Taylor is supposed to give something to you, so make sure he doesn't forget. I decided to get one more badge before school starts. I'm worried that I might get rusty during the school year, since my new school only has elective classes for battling, and I have a lot of catching up to do. I'm jealous of you, getting to do another year at Everspring. I'll be thinking about you and all the others a lot today._

_Oh, one more thing. I've been listening to this song a lot, and I thought you might like it. Tell me what you think._

_I miss you,_

_Cass_

At the bottom of the email, Liam saw a file attachment:

_Noctowl_City_Fireflies_mp3_

Liam clicked the file and plugged in his headphones. Four minutes later, he took off his headphones, wiped his eyes, and looked over at Espeon, who was watching him keenly.

"It's a really good song," he said. "Wanna listen?"

Espeon gave an assenting purr.


	11. Chapter 11

"Does it feel good?"

Claire looked up. Dustra was sitting on the floor of her dark, barely-furnished cell, just a few feet away behind the bars. Her eyes were concealed by her headscarf, but Claire knew they were fixed on her.

"What?"

"Hurting Pokemon," said Dustra. There was a bitter and ironic note in her voice. "I thought for someone like you, that must feel good."

Claire didn't say anything. She looked back down at the map Dustra had given her, comparing it to a more detailed Town Map of the Shizo Region. She traced the border of the Tubon Plateau up to the cold, unknown peaks along the desert in the west.

"Do you ever do it just for fun?" asked Dustra, in the same detached tone, but Claire had had enough.

"Shut up!" she snapped. "I'm not like that."

"Really?" said the gym leader, leaning forward. "That is an unusual lie to tell yourself. I wonder why you do it."

"It's not a lie," said Claire.

Her voice was calm and even—that, at least, was something Claire had learned to control. But her hands were trembling. She tried to keep looking at the map, and not at Dustra, but her eyes were glazed and her vision was blurry. She took a breath.

"I have read Team Power's propaganda," said Dustra. "There is nothing for you to be ashamed of. Team Power crushes the weak, and to torture—"

"Stop!"

Claire stood up and snatched the map off the desk where she had been working.

"Oh, it does get to you!" laughed Dustra as Claire stormed from the cell. "How does Team Power feel about that? How do they feel that you are—"

Claire slammed the heavy metal door of the cell and locked it behind her. Zhang, who had been standing guard outside, raised an eyebrow.

"This is it," said Claire, shoving the map into his hands. "Get me some grunts. I'm gonna go find Rasmus."

Zhang continued to stare at Claire, but she didn't wait for him to acknowledge her orders. She was already storming down the hall, away from the cells where the former gym leaders of Shizo were kept, and towards the dormitories. She pushed past Team Power grunts as they jumped to attention, ignoring their startled expressions, and soon gained the quiet and privacy of her own room. She locked the door.

Braviary, which was nestled in the blankets of her unmade bed, looked up at the sound. Claire smiled weakly. She sat down on the bed next to Braviary and gingerly stroked its feathers. The Pokemon cooed appreciatively. Claire looked around at her room. It was messy, but that didn't matter. No one ever visited her here. Dirty clothes were piled in one corner—stacks of used Potions and Elixirs covered her dresser. Her belt of Pokeballs hung from a nail she had hammered into the concrete wall when she first moved in, but otherwise the room was bare.

Claire wasn't sure what this hideout had been before Team Power had moved in nine months ago—probably some kind of industrial facility—but she knew that she hated it. It was cold, and crumbling, and full of sycophantic grunts that whispered every time she passed. Apart from her occasional visits to the Grandmaster's office, she talked to no one. Apart from her Pokemon, she had no one.

Braviary nuzzled closer as Claire continued to stroke its white bonnet of feathers. Without even realizing it, she pulled Braviary's head up to her chest, wrapping her arms around it and burying her face in its soft feathers. The Pokemon made no protest, but wrapped its wings delicately around her. Claire felt the tears welling up in her eyes, and she clutched at Braviary as tightly as she could.

But as the first tear wandered down her face and settled on her upper lip, Claire went tense. She let go of Braviary and sprang to her feet. Braviary gave a startled jerk and flapped its huge wings anxiously, knocking several empty Potions off the dresser as it tried to find its footing. Claire was breathing heavily, clenching her fists.

"No!" she said to the empty room. "I'm not weak!"

She imagined the cruel, sneering faces of the Grunts she commanded. They were laughing at her, mocking her tears.

"The Admin's soft. She can't bring herself to do what's necessary. That's why the Grandmaster doesn't trust her. Did you know she cried after she tortured that gym leader's Pokemon? She actually cried!"

Claire beat savagely at the concrete walls, gritting her teeth. But the painted faces were still laughing at her.

"Do you know what she keeps in her room? Remember that Pokemon she buried back in Jadetower? The one she threw into the pit to prove she could? She still has a picture of it! She keeps it hidden under her mattress. She looks at it when she's alone."

Claire pummeled the walls until her hands were numb.

"Shut up!" she shouted. "Just shut up!"

She stormed back to the bed and jammed her hand under her mattress. She found what she was looking for at once. It was an old photograph, taken three years ago, before they left Unova. It showed her team as it was then: Pawniard, Braviary, Blitzle… and Anastasia, her Bouffalant. The Pokemon she had thrown away last spring. The Pokemon that had turned against her at the Orphanage.

The Pokemon that now belonged to Grace Shaw.

It was that thought that finally overcame her reluctance. She hated herself for holding onto the photo, but only the thought that Grace Shaw was probably petting and brushing Anastasia at that moment gave her the strength of will to let it go. She crumpled the photo into a ball and threw it into the trash can beside her bed. The act seemed to free her. She felt her anger and panic fading away.

"Come on," she said to her Braviary, "We're gonna go find Rasmus."

She recalled Braviary to its Pokeball and took her belt off the nail. In the cracked mirror above her dresser, she carefully reapplied her face paint. The Beizo-style opera masks donned by Team Power were more than just a striking fashion statement—they were intended to conceal. Deception was something the old masters of the School of Power had valued highly. For Claire, it was an art she had long mastered.


	12. Chapter 12

Liam's first few days back at Everspring Academy were surprisingly normal. He sat with Vasilio and Mori in every class, ate lunch with I Am Munclax at the noodle shop across the road, and thought a lot about Cass. He enjoyed watching the 9th graders fake their way through the first few days of high school, but his first battle with Marsha proved that she, at least, was no joke as a Pokemon trainer. Her Raichu made short work of Liam's Murkrow, and only Sneasel's speed and keen senses let him regain control of the battle and score a win.

"That would have been embarrassing," said Mori with a grin. "Losing to a freshie."

"You're lucky you don't have a freshman to lose against," countered Liam.

There was one part of the return to normalcy Liam wasn't quite looking forward to: Team Virtue meetings. Liam had seen Timothy—the oldest student in Team Virtue—a few times during the last few days, and he couldn't help but agree with Werner's assessment: Timothy looked too busy to lead and train the younger kids. That left the task of mentoring to him, and Liam didn't feel up to it. Not only would he be working under Professor Werner's ever-critical eye—he also would be taking responsibility for the success (or more likely the failure) of all Team Virtue's younger members.

Liam comforted himself with the thought that most Team Virtue meetings drew only five or six students, and most of them were still in middle school. They were still learning the basics, and Liam could handle the basics.

Team Virtue always met in a green canvas tent that functioned as the school's makeshift cafeteria. No one could really explain to Liam why Everspring International Pokemon Academy used a tent instead of a real building to serve lunch—as Vasilio had put it, "Some things in Nanzo make less sense the more you ask about them." That was part of being a foreigner in Nanzo—accepting that some things, including entire buildings, had no intention of making sense.

Liam was a little late—actually, he was exactly on time, but Professor Werner had an interesting definition of "late." He found about ten students already sitting on the cafeteria stools, while Professor Werner leaned on his cane at the far end of the tent. Liam recognized some of the students as team members from last year, but there were lots of new faces, among them Marsha Cheong and Chelsea Whitaker. Liam waved awkwardly at them and considered joining their table, but Professor Werner was already beckoning him over.

"Now that you're here," croaked Werner, "Let's get started."

Liam took his place standing next to Professor Werner, feeling very embarrassed to have so many people looking at him. He tried to keep his face neutral as Werner began his address.

"Thousands of years ago, in the time known as the Spring and Autumn Period, the Four Regions—Dongzo, Nanzo, Shizo, and Beizo—were divided and leaderless. Pokemon trainers were little more than bandits and mercenaries, using their skills in battle for whatever warlord or duke offered the highest pay. In this darkest period of our history, the Hundred Schools of Battle arose. These schools sought to impose order, discipline, and purpose in the midst of violence. The four greatest of these schools were Virtue, Truth, Balance, and Power."

Liam glanced uncomfortably at Chelsea Whitaker. Werner continued in his gravelly voice.

"Each school taught a different philosophy of battle—a different path to victory. The School of Truth taught that victory could only come by acting in a natural way, with trainer and Pokemon alike moving in sync with the mysterious truth at the center of all reality. The School of Balance saw that the desire for victory often led trainers into error and folly, and sought to transcend ambition and act on the basis of internal peace."

Liam smiled to himself. Sylvia and Arthur were both members of Team Balance, but neither the overachieving younger sister or her brilliant-but-lazy older brother struck Liam as models of "transcending ambition." Werner continued:

"The School of Power looked at the chaos of the Spring and Autumn Period and saw in it a need for strength, rationality, and order. They valued tactics above all—compassion, tradition, and morality were rejected as impediments to absolute victory. It was the School of Power which first united the Four Regions, and their mastery of strategy in battle has never been surpassed."

Liam's eyes flicked over to Chelsea again. She looked a little shell-shocked, but Liam reasoned that younger students often found Professor Werner's growling monologues a little terrifying.

"It was the School of Virtue that ended the School of Power's hundred-year reign. Grandmaster Kong, the school's founder, began with the simple wisdom of relationships. He saw that the bond between the Pokemon and its trainer was not a relationship of equals, but it was nonetheless based on mutual trust, affection, and discipline. Only by embracing their roles—the trainer to command and train, the Pokemon to battle and obey—could they achieve victory. Only by honoring that most sacred relationship could both flourish, and all under Heaven be set right."

Werner paused and looked around at the students.

"I know why most of you are here," he said. "You've experienced the cruelty of Team Power, or seen others experience it. You want a chance to strike back. I will teach you to fight. I will train you in the methods of the School of Virtue. But always remember this."

Werner took an old-fashioned Pokeball out of his pocket and held it out before them.

"This is what you fight for. Forget that, and Team Power have already won."

The students nodded. Liam smiled with relief. He was worried Werner would scare the new recruits away, but this was exactly what had drawn him to Team Virtue in the first place.

"Now," said Professor Werner, as if just coming back to himself, "our current novices will come around and have a word with you about joining Team Virtue. If they recommend you, and if you choose to walk this path and submit to the teachers of the old masters, you will be sworn in a receive your team jacket next week. Liam, Aziz, Jera—they're all yours."

Liam laughed nervously. Aziz, a 9th grader, and Jera, who was in 8th grade. were both soft-spoken and undeniably nerdy, and he somehow felt like a more plausible leader by comparison. He decided to start with Marsha and Chelsea and leave the middle schoolers to the others. Jera and Aziz would make more plausible "big kids" from the perspective of a 6th grader.

Liam hadn't seen much of Chelsea Whitaker that week, despite their lockers being right next to each other. He immediately noticed that she had changed a lot over the summer. Liam remembered Chelsea as a small, thin girl with curly red hair and freckles. She had been quiet and shy—almost childlike, in Liam's opinion. Now, she was undeniably a teenager. Her hair was longer and curlier, her freckles were darker, and she had made a clumsy attempt at eyeliner and mascara that made her look like she hadn't gotten enough sleep.

"Hey, bro," said Chelsea. Her voice had gotten much deeper, but it still cracked.

"Hi Chelsea," said Liam awkwardly. "Hi Marsha."

Marsha gave Liam a very stiff and formal salute.

"So you're, like, second-in-command here?" asked Chelsea.

"Heh, no," said Liam. "I'm just the second oldest. I mostly just help younger students practice. Timothy—you know him, right—he's the real second-in-command. Speaking of which…"

Liam pulled up a stool and sat down across from the girls.

"So you guys wanna join Team Virtue?"

"She does," explained Marsha, "I am just here for morale support."

"Yeah," said Chelsea. "Well, I've been thinking about joining Team Virtue. You know, ever since what happened. I wanted to… I don't know, stick up for myself better. So, uh, here I am."

"No, that's good," said Liam. "I'm glad you want to join. I joined for… well, more or less the same reason. I will warn you that, uh..."

Liam jerked his head at Werner, who was standing silently over Aziz's shoulder at another table.

"Oh, I like Professor Werner," said Chelsea. "So that's not a problem."

"Actually, we do have a favor to ask you upon that subject," said Marsha.

Liam blinked, but decided not to remark on Marsha's unusual phrasing. He was starting to get used to it.

"I heard you were like, really good in Professor Werner's class," said Chelsea, lowering her voice. "So we were wondering…. Could you help us with our Tactics homework after school?"

"Uh, sure?" said Liam. "Is that the condition for you joining Team Virtue, Chelsea?"

"No," she giggled. "Marsha is just scared she's gonna get a B."

Marsha nodded seriously, her eyes wide.

"Well, no guarantees," said Liam, standing up, "But I can help you guys out. I'll tell Professor Werner to have a jacket for you next week, Chelsea. I think I, uh, better go save Aziz from those 7th graders."

"Okay," said Chelsea. "Can we, uh, go?"

"Yeah," said Liam. "If you want. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Seeya, bro," said Chelsea.

The girls got up and left the tent. With a shrug, Liam wandered over to the table where Aziz was stuttering his way through a conversation with three 7th graders.

"Well, we, uh, we…" said Aziz, in his barely audible voice, "We practice battles, and, uh…"

"Do you think he needs help?" whispered Liam to Professor Werner.

"Let him struggle a bit longer," replied Werner. "Is Miss Whitaker joining us?"

"Yeah," said Liam.

Werner stroked his chin.

"Revenge is not the way of Team Virtue," he said. "Watch her closely."

"I don't think Chelsea—."

"You know her well?" interrupted Werner.

Liam thought for a moment.

"No. I guess not."

"She's your responsibility," said Werner. "Don't nurture her anger."

"I won't," said Liam.

He hoped he was telling the truth.

"You can save young Aziz now," said Werner, "He's floundered long enough."

Liam took the seat next to Aziz as nonchalantly as possible and introduced himself to the middle schoolers. He felt weirdly grown up, explaining the beliefs and principles of Team Virtue to younger students. Maybe, just maybe, he could get used to this.

* * *

Liam found Marsha and Chelsea at the bus stop in a state of clear agitation. They were passing a small piece of paper between them, whispering. Liam didn't want to be nosy, but his curiosity was more than gratified when Chelsea called him over and showed him the paper.

"I found this in my locker," she said, "I dunno what it means."

Liam read the paper. It said:

TEAM POWER ARE LOOKING FOR RASMUS.

The message was penned in block letters on paper that looked like it had been torn from a small notebook. Liam frowned.

"I… don't know either," he said, continuing to look closely at the paper. "Who's Rasmus?"

The girls both shrugged.

"I have never heard of Rasmus," said Marsha.

"It's so weird," said Chelsea, taking the paper back from Liam. "What does it even mean? And why put it in my locker. It's kinda… scary."

Liam nodded.

"I'd show it to Christine—uh, Miss Snyder tomorrow. If this was another student, then it's some kind of mean prank."

"Yeah," said Chelsea with a resigned shrug. "A weird mean prank."


	13. Chapter 13

Liam bumped into Chelsea the next day as she was leaving the guidance counselor's office. She had evidently taken his advice and showed the note to Miss Snyder, but the look on her face told Liam it hadn't gone the way he had hoped.

"What did she say?" asked Liam.

Chelsea shrugged.

"She says she doesn't know who Rasmus is either," said Chelsea, "and to tell her if I get another note."

"And… that's it?" said Liam incredulously.

"Yeah," said Chelsea, "I guess."

She gave another shrug and walked away in the direction of Professor Alexander's math room. Liam was sorely tempted to barge into Miss Snyder's office and demand that she take the note more seriously, but he decided against it. He was probably just overreacting. It was only a piece of paper, after all.

The first Friday of a new school year was a big event for the foreign youth group. Liam had been exactly once—for Cass's goodbye party—and otherwise he avoided it. It wasn't that he didn't think it should exist. Spending Friday evening in a small, loud room full of people he already saw at school just wasn't his idea of a good time. His friends understood this, and never made more than a token attempt to drag him along.

"I'm guessing you're not coming to Youth Group tonight," grumbled Mori as they walked to Professor Huang's class together.

"Correct," said Liam.

"You're lucky you get a choice," said Mori. "I would skip if I could."

"Isn't Youth Group the only place you get to see Dustin outside of school?" said Liam with a sly smile.

"Yeah, but..."

Mori pushed a strand of neon-blue hair out of her eyes.

"It's not the most convenient place for making out, even without Rain to snitch on me."

"Yeah, how many incidents have you caused by making out at Youth Group again?" grinned Liam.

"Shut up," Mori muttered.

They opened the door to Professor Huang's warm, cozy classroom and sat down at the back. Sylvia and Ruth were already sitting near Professor Huang's desk, but Mori always preferred to be as far away from the teacher as she could get away with.

"I miss having this class last," said Liam as he dug through his already over-stuffed schoolbag. "Second period is too early."

"Agreed," said Mori with a sigh.

The door to the classroom opened and Stephanie Thibault came in. Liam followed her with his eyes as she took a seat behind Ruth in the front. He always liked to watch Stephanie. She had a simple elegance to her movements, without any of the awkwardness most teenagers carried at least a little of. Her sea-green eyes concealed just as much as they conveyed, but always projected both intelligence and a hint of playfulness.

"Ouch!"

Mori had flicked Liam hard on the side of the head.

"Quick staring at Stephanie's butt," she said.

"I wasn't—."

Mori flicked him again.

"Don't even try to deny it," said Mori, still holding her curled fingers threateningly close to his temples. "I saw you doing it."

Stephanie, Sylvia, and Ruth glanced back to see what was going on. Liam felt his face going red.

"I'm looking at your hand right now," said Liam, lowering his voice. "Also, why does it matter to you what I look at?"

Mori crossed her arms and looked away.

"I just think you're getting over Cass pretty quick," she muttered.

The girls in the front went back to talking among themselves.

"I go to the bathroom for two minutes and already you two are having a fight?"

Vasilio hung his backpack on the chair next to Mori and set his Pokeballs on the table.

"Liam was being a pig," said Mori. "And speaking of which—."

Mori smelled Vasilio's jacket.

"You smell like Rebecca's perfume."

"Mori, quit being weird," said Vasilio, leaning away from her.

Liam noticed that, though Vasi looked annoyed, he didn't argue with her conclusion. Mori looked like she wanted to pursue the point further, but at that moment Professor Huang called the class to attention. Professor Huang was a Nanzonese woman in her late thirties with a kind face and curly black hair. At the moment, she was cradling a Trubbish in her arms. Liam liked Professor Huang, and he was especially glad that she had interrupted their discussion with Mori. Something was bothering her, and Liam was sure it had nothing to do with him looking at Stephanie's butt.

* * *

The bell for the morning break rang. Vasilio left almost immediately to find Taylor, but Liam waited for Mori as she slowly collected her things.

"You wanna go get a snack?" said Liam cautiously.

"Sure, I guess," said Mori without looking up.

As they walked down the hall towards the student government's snack booth, Chelsea Whitaker passed them in the opposite direction.

"Hi, Liam," she said brightly.

"Hi again, Chelsea," said Liam.

Mori squinted at the 9th grader as she walked by.

"Since when are you friends with Chelsea?" asked Mori.

There was an accusatory note in her voice.

"She's joining Team Virtue," explained Liam, trying to sound casual.

"Figures," said Mori.

"Figures?"

"She wants to get back at Team Power," said Mori matter-of-factly. "Believe me, I get it."

"I don't think so." said Liam. "I'm glad she's doing it, It'll be cool to… I don't know, get to know her better."

Mori stopped and peered at Liam suspiciously.

"What?" said Liam, trying not to blush under Mori's intense gaze.

"I sometimes forget how girl-crazy you are," said Mori disappointedly. "I thought you might have reformed, but I guess all it takes is for a girl to put on curves and some makeup and suddenly you're on the prowl."

Liam rolled his eyes.

"I'm not on the prowl after Chelsea," he protested.

"Good," said Mori, "Because Chelsea may be in a C-cup now, but she's still a kid."

"And how do you know?"

"Because I'm me," said Mori, flicking Liam's shoulder. "I can just tell. She's still at that phase where she's obsessed with relationships—any relationships. Lots of girls go through it. But if you actually want a guy, you need to know who you want. Just wanting a boyfriend isn't enough. You have to want a boy and get him."

"And you're accusing me of being on the prowl," complained Liam. "What are you?"

"I already have what I want," said Mori, brushing her shoulder against Dustin, who happened to be passing, "You just need to figure out what you want."

Liam thought for a moment.

"I want Cass back," he said, as if to himself.

Mori stopped again, and before he knew what was happening, she wrapped her arms around him and pressed her face against his chest.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I need to have more faith in you. I know you miss her a lot."

"Hey, no PDA, you two!" calle Sylvia from the snack booth.

"This is not PDA," protested Liam, trying to gently pry Mori off of him. "Mori, come on. I'm fine."

Mori let go abruptly and flicked him in the face before he could defend himself.

"Ow! What did I do this time?"

"That was an affectionate flick," said Mori with a grin. "Learn the difference."

"I don't think there is a difference," grumbled Liam, rubbing his head resentfully.

They got in line at the student government's snack booth, which was being run by Sylvia and Liz. It wasn't really a booth—just some peeling shelves and a repurposed welcome counter—but it did a good business for the student government, and took up most of their time outside of planning school events. Liam and Mori gradually reached the front of the line, where they found Sylvia manning the cash drawer.

"Two chips," said Mori. "Liam's paying for mine."  
Liam took out his wallet without question, but Sylvia wasn't satisfied.

"Did Liam say he would, or is he just being a pushover?" asked Sylvia, leaning over the counter like a friendly bartender.

"It's okay," said Liam, but Sylvia held up a finger to tell him to hold in tongue.

"Chips are 200 Pokedollars, Grace. Cash only."

Mori's nostrils flared.

"I can get it," insisted Liam, but Sylvia's glasses flashed dangerously, and Liam realized she was going to carry her point.

"Fine," said Mori.

She put two crumpled green bills on the counter. Sylvia straightened herself and pushed her round glasses back up her nose.

"Thank you, Grace," said Sylvia with a toothy smile. "I'll see to Mr. Holbrook now."

"Sorry," mouthed Liam to Mori, but she was already storming off.

"What was that about?" Liam asked Sylvia as she handed him his bag of chips. "Mori's going through something right now, Sylv. She doesn't need—."

"Liam," said Sylvia, crossing her arms. "You're the fourth guy this week that Mori brought here to buy her chips. It won't hurt her to pay for her own snack once."

Liam felt embarrassed. He grabbed the bag of chips that Sylvia handed to him and nibbled on them absent-mindedly as he walked alone through the fourth floor halls. He wanted to find Mori, but he had a sense she didn't want to be found. He bumped into Vasilio by his locker as they were getting their books for class.

"You okay?" asked Vasi.

Liam shrugged.

"Something's up with Mori, and I wanted to be nice to her and get her a snack, but Sylv wouldn't let me because apparently I was like the 20th guy that bought Mori a snack this week. And… I feel kinda stupid."

Vasilio closed his locker and motioned for Liam to follow him. Together, they leaned on the fourth floor railing to watch a Pokemon battle between two third graders in the atrium below.

"Mori's saving up to buy her boyfriend something," explained Vasilio. "That's why she keeps on trying to mooch off everyone else. My mom gives me money whenever I ask, so it doesn't matter to me."

A crashing sound made a few nearby students jump—a third grader's Pancham had just knocked over his opponent's Togedemaru with a Low Sweep.

"Yeah, well I didn't know that," said Liam despondently. "I thought I was just being nice, not getting played by my friend."

There was a quick flash of light as Togedemaru used Spark.

"C'mon dude," said Vasilio, flicking Liam on the shoulder. "You've known Mori long enough to know she can be kind of a—."

Vasilio paused as Professor Wort walked past.

"Kind of a bitch sometimes," he finished. "Look, you haven't even seen the worst from Mori by a long shot."

"She's been through a lot," said Liam defensively.

"I know," said Vasilio. "Remember, I was here for all of it—when her dad gave her Purrloin away, when Claire gave her that fake Valentine, when she ran—.

"I never heard about that," interrupted Liam. "The Valentine thing, I mean."

Vasilio sighed.

"That was… well, that was really bad. Claire sent this really gushy Valentine's Day card to Mori as a prank. Mori took it really seriously, and spent all day trying to find out who sent it. Most of the middle school was watching when Claire told her she did it. Mori was… well, I think that was when she first started…"

Vasilio shook his head. In the atrium below, applause and cheers told them the third grader's match had ended.

"I know Mori trusts you," said Vasilio, "but I think that's something she'll need to tell you about. She's sensitive about it."

"About what?"

"Like I said, she'll need to tell you."


	14. Chapter 14

Claire clutched at the reigns of her Bravery and shivered as they passed through the cloud embankment. Hundreds of feet below her, Claire saw the great glacier that covered the northwest side of Iron Peak, the greatest mountain of the western Tarkmalan. The gym leader's map had led her here, to the most remote part of Shizo, in pursuit of one person.

As the clouds ahead cleared, Claire spotted what she had been looking for: a small cave just below the northern summit. She glanced over her shoulder to check if she was still being followed. To her relief, she caught the silhouettes of several Staraptors following at a short distance.

"It's there!" she called over her shoulder. "Get ready!"

The Staraptors fell into formation behind her, and they began their descent. At the mouth of the cave, Claire could just glimpse the fiery orange of traditional Team Balance robes. She smiled to herself. Those fools wouldn't put up a fight.

The monks backed nervously into the small cave as Claire and her grunts landed and dismounted on a rocky outcrop. Claire didn't bother to reach for her Pokeballs. Those orange robes told her that these trainers had forsworn battling altogether—the weakest of the weak among the Team Balance rabble.

"Who are you?"

An older monk—his head crowned with grey stubble—hobbled out to meet them.

"We're here for Rasmus, scum," said Claire. "You can give him to us, or we can see how much you really believe in reincarnation. Your choice."

The monks glanced fearfully at each other. The older monk stood his ground.

"If you've come for Rasmus," he said, "I urge you to leave and give up your foolish quest. No matter who you are, he will bring you, and the world, only misery."

"We're Team Power," spat Claire. "And unlike you, we're not cowards. Show me where he is or I'll have my Braviary peck your eyes out!"

The old man seemed to ponder for a moment.

"So be it," he said.

He knelt before Claire, his eyes fixed on hers. His expression wasn't defiant, but it was bold, and perfectly calm.

"Fine," said Claire.

She had expected him to give in immediately. Now, she had to prove she meant what she said—to her grunts, to the watching monks, and to herself.

"Braviary," she said. "Give him your worst."

Braviary approached the old man reluctantly.

"I bear you no ill will, Braviary," said the old man. "You will do what you must. I am not afraid—."

"Shut up!" said Claire. "Braviary, Fury Attack!"

"Wait!" said a younger monk, throwing up his hands. "We'll tell you! Please, we'll—."

"Zexi!" said the old man warningly.

"Where is he?" said Claire fiercely. "Talk fast or I'll pulp the old man's face."

"I'll show you," said the monk, beckoning her towards the cave with trembling hands. "Please, come with me. Don't hurt him."

Claire looked down at the old man, then at the two grunts nearest him.

"If anything goes wrong, he goes off the cliff," she said.

She turned to the other grunts.

"Come with me."

They followed the young monk into the cave.

* * *

The walls of the cave's interior were covered in ornate carvings that depicted scenes from the ancient and complex mythology of the School of Balance. Claire thought she could discern a few recognizable forms—Ho-oh, Palkia, Celebi—but most of the Pokemon were either long forgotten, pure myth, or so grotesque that they were unrecognizable. There was a certain beauty to it, of course. Among the four great schools, only the School of Balance had truly mastered artistic expression. The School of Virtue had its own theory of aesthetics, and Truth produced many of the Four Regions' greatest poets, but Balance alone created beautiful statues, murals, landscapes and pottery with unaffected ease.

Yet Claire saw no signs of any recent artistic activity on the cold and fading walls of the cave. These monks were merely the caretakers of a temple long-dormant—a shrine to the Enlightened One converted into a prison. She followed the young monk deeper and deeper into the cave's heart, and there he pointed her to a dark, unadorned cell.

"He's here," said the young monk. "Can I beg you to reconsi—?"

Claire shot him a furious glance, and he recoiled.

The chamber was small, with bare stone walls and a ceiling Claire could easily have reached up and touched. She shivered as she stepped through the entrance—more like a cleft or crack in the stone—and saw what the room contained. On its far wall, there was something that looked like a glowing, slimy chrysalis, large enough to hold a human-sized insect.

"Bisharp, go."

Bisharp sprang from its Pokeball, ready to follow Claire's orders.

"Open that… thing," she said. "But be careful. We don't wanna hurt him."

Bisharp nodded and slowly approached the glowing chrysalis. The blue-green light it cast reflected on Bisharp's steel armor. With the care of a surgeon, it used the blade on its forearm to split open the weird cocoon, and as it did, Claire saw the man inside for the first time.

He was young—younger than she had expected. His face was pale and youthful, with reddish cheeks and deep blue eyes. His hair and beard—long and scraggly from years of imprisonment—were light brown, almost blonde. He would have looked almost angelic, were it not for his cruel and beak-like nose. As he tumbled out of the chrysalis, Claire rushed forward to catch him before he hit the stone floor.

The man choked, gasping for air. Claire wondered for a panicked moment if the shock of leaving his cocoon had killed him, but with a horrible cough, the man spit up a mass of greenish flem and his airways cleared. He breathed heavily, leaning on Claire for support.

'Who…?'

His mouth hadn't moved, but Claire heard the words echoing in her own mind.

"I'm from Team Power," she said. "The Grandmaster wants to see you."

'Team… Power?'

"Yes," said Claire. "Team Power is reborn. We're taking on the Pokemon League, restoring order to the Four Regions. We need your help to do it."

The man coughed again. He blinked furiously, and Claire felt his muscles convulsing.

'Take me…' said the voice in her mind. 'Take me away from… here.'

Claire nodded. The two grunts that had come with her each took one of the man's arms and were soon half-carrying him out of the cave temple. The young monk looked on in shame and horror. Without a word to Claire or the man, he led them back out into the cold air of the high mountains. They found the old man still closely guarded by the other Team Power grunts.

"You found him?" asked one.

Claire nodded.

"We're going by air," explained Claire. "Can you ride?"

The man thought for a moment, then nodded slowly. One of the grunts handed him a heavy fur coat to ward off the freezing wind.

"You will come to regret what you have done," said the old monk. "Not now, but in the end. I promise you."

The prisoner looked at his former captor. He tilted his head curiously, as if he didn't quite recognize him. His blue eyes stared blankly, and his expression was oddly... unreadable. It made Claire very uncomfortable.

"Jump," he said.

It was the first word he had spoken aloud. The other monks fell into a panic, running forward to try and save their mentor, but too late. The old monk, without a hint of reluctance or resistance, had stepped off the edge of the outcrop and fallen into the darkness of whirling snow below. The man's face cracked into the smallest of satisfied smiles.

"Let's go see… your grandmaster," he said quietly.

Claire helped the man climb onto the back of her Braviary. He was almost skin and bones, so the additional weight wouldn't be too much for her Pokemon. As they took off into the biting mountain air, Claire took a last look back at the cave. The monks were completely still, staring in silent disbelief at what had just occurred. Claire didn't blame them.

She was already wondering whether rescuing Rasmus had been a mistake.


	15. Chapter 15

"Do you like Grace Shaw?" asked Marsha.

Liam looked up at Marsha and Chelsea, trying to keep his expression neutral. He was more than a little annoyed. He had been dragged into staying after school on a Friday under the pretense that he was helping the two 9th graders with Werner's class, but there hadn't been much work done so far.

"Why do you ask?" he said.

"It's just you two hang out together a lot," said Chelsea, "And it seems like you're really close. Don't you think she's pretty?"

"Yes," said Liam hesitantly, "So?"

"Liam thinks all girls are pretty," said Marsha matter-of-factly.

Liam frowned.

"Who told you that?" asked Chelsea.

"Rebecca," said Marsha, "She has told me all about everything that happened in high school last year. She said she thought Liam and Grace were going to be a couple at first, but that Grace only likes bad boys, so it made sense that Liam and Cass ended up together, but—."

"I'm glad you're such an expert on my life," muttered Liam.

"You know, he never answered the question." said Chelsea, "Do you like Grace, Liam?"

Both of the girls were staring at him. Liam felt his face going red.

"I don't have to answer your questions," said Liam at last. "Also, she goes by Mori, and if she hears you calling her Grace it'll piss her off."

"Okay, bro," said Chelsea knowingly.

"What happened to wanting help in Tactics anyways?" asked Liam.

Marsha sighed.

"I guess we had better study," she said, "I don't understand this question about priority moves."

She held out her textbook to Liam and pointed to one of the written response questions at the end of the chapter.

"Okay," said Liam, "This one is kind of a trick question. Sucker Punch does have increased priority, but only of +1, so if it were being used against a faster Pokemon using a move like Aqua Jet, it wouldn't work, but only if that Pokemon is faster."

"What?" said Marsha blankly.

"Let me break it down," said Liam, feeling uncomfortable in the role of instructor, "So, imagine you have a Murkrow with Sucker Punch, and you're going against a… I don't know, what's a Pokemon that's faster than Murkrow that learns Aqua Jet?"

"Sharpedo," said Marsha immediately.

Evidently battle camp was good for something.

"Right," said Liam, "So, if Sharpedo were to use Aqua Jet, which has the same amount of increased priority as Sucker Punch, Aqua Jet would go first because Sharpedo is faster than Murkrow, and Sucker Punch would fail because Sucker Punch has to move first to succeed. Does that, uh, make sense?"

Marsha still looked perplexed, but Chelsea nodded vigorously.

"So in the next question," said Chelsea, scooting closer to the textbook, "It asks what would happen if a Pokemon uses Sucker Punch against another Pokemon using Fake Out. Does the same thing happen there?"

"No," said Liam, "Because Fake Out has even higher priority than Sucker Punch. It's so fast that it goes before everything."

"This is hard," said Chelsea, holding her head in frustration.

"Yes it is," said Marsha. "So Liam, what about Stephanie Thibault? Is she pretty?"

"Yes," said Liam. "Of course she is."

"Ooooh," said the girls in unison.

Liam rolled his eyes.

"As a question, 'Is Stephanie pretty?' is more of a vision test than anything else," grumbled Liam. "Anyways, I thought you were worried about that B."

"So what you mean is you're in love with her," said Chelsea slyly.

"I think we have found the truth at last," said Marsha with a satisfied nod. She gave her friend a high five.

"You're free to think that if you like," said Liam. "You're wrong, but... whatever."

Chelsea noticed the weary and annoyed expression in Liam's eyes.

"Let's do one more question," she said, "then we should get going."

"Okay," said Marsha.

Liam glanced gratefully at Chelsea. He was glad there was someone with a little bit of tact to balance out Marsha's ill-timed inquisitiveness. Their eyes met, and Liam grunted and reached for the textbook again.

"You're still not over Cass, huh bro?" said Chelsea quietly.

"You're perceptive," Liam granted. "For a freshman."

"Ugh! Liam, Chez, stop flirting and help me with this question!" Marsha whined.

Chelsea laughed the accusation away and opened her textbook. Liam, however, paused for a moment.

"What?" said Chelsea, noticing his expression.

"Oh, sorry," said Liam. "I just didn't know people called you Chez."

"Well, you don't really know me that well, bro."

"I don't really know priority that well," said Marsha irritably. "Hurry, let's do question five. I thought you two wanted to go."

They slogged their way through the final question, with Liam doing the best he could to explain the finer points of non-damaging increased-priority moves. After about ten minutes, Marsha gave a defeated sigh and snapped her textbook shut.

"Sorry," said Liam. "I told you I wasn't an expert."

"You've been very helpful," said Marsha in a forced way. "Same time next week?"

Liam was surprised Marsha and Chelsea wanted to make a habit of these study sessions, but he wasn't against it.

"Sure," said Liam. "I'll see you two Monday."


	16. Chapter 16

With his first week back at school finally over, Liam wanted time alone. Time to think. And he had plenty to think about. So after dropping off his bag at home, he composed a quick email to Cass, collected his Pokeballs and set out in the direction of Bookwood Street. He had been many times on his own since Mori had first taken him, and—with a little trial and error—he had discovered a public bus route that dropped him off just outside the famous walking street.

Bookwood Street was a unique place within Everspring: an oasis of foreign culture, food, and shops tucked away in a narrow side road just a short walk from historic Jade Lake Park and Nanzo University. It seemed to have a bit of everything. There was Santiago's—a coffee house and bar where students and families from the international school rubbed shoulders with pot-smoking backpackers and globe-trotting college kids. A few meters further down was The Box—a hole-in-the-wall restaurant serving liquor, loud music, and authentic Unovan pizza. The former was Mori's favorite, and latter was Vasilio's, but Liam passed them both by and found his way to a small, second-floor restaurant on the end of the street. He wasn't sure what it was called, but it served pad thai, curry, pineapple rice, and other specialities of the regions south of Nanzo, and it was cheap.

As Liam nibbled on his plate of pad thai with Sneasel peering hungrily down from his shoulder, he thought a lot about home things had changed since last year. It wasn't just that he was missing Cass so much it made his stomach hurt, despite his best efforts to convince himself (and Mori) that he was over her. It was the fact that he had returned to school as an insider. He was suddenly aware that younger students not only knew him, but looked up to him. Even his relationships with his friends had changed. Much of the mystery that initially surrounded Mori Shaw, for instance, had disappeared. Liam realized in retrospect that her snarky comments and flirtatious jibes were just her rough outer shell, and now that they were really friends, she didn't feel the need to keep him at arm's length. Vasilio was another matter. A few months of spending almost every day with him had convinced Liam that he was exactly what he seemed on the surface: responsible, funny, and straightforward, with an integrity towards others and himself that never faltered. Where Mori and Liam were often conflicted, Vasi was consistent. It made his behavior with Rebecca all the more confusing—to have a vaguely-defined relationship with a girl Liam was sure he was only sort of interested in wasn't like Vasilio at all.

After paying for his meal, Liam turned onto the sidestreet that branched off Bookwood—the inconspicuous road leading to Tobias' gym and the bootleg TM shop. He stopped as usual to listen to the old, bearded Nanzonese man playing a plaintive melody on his erhu. Sneasel and the old man's Snubbul peered suspiciously at each other, but the music's calming effect quickly took hold. After listening for a few minutes, Liam left a small tip in the man's case and strode on. He had one more stop before heading home.

The wooden, dusty shelves of the bootleg TM store held a special place in Liam's heart. Later in the evening, the labyrinthine shop would be filled with the pulsing sounds of Tobias' band in the gym next door, but now it was quiet, tranquil, and weirdly separate from the rest of the bustling city. Liam flipped through rack after rack of bootlegged TMs and beautifully-packaged (if equally illegitimate) CDs. The selection was both eclectic and impressive—the mismatched numbering systems revealed technical machines copied from disks originating as far away as Galar, while the albums on offer ranged from black metal to post-rock to trance. Liam chose a CD by Cradle of Muk—Mori's favorite band—along with TM29 for Espeon. He laid what felt like a criminally small amount of money on the shopkeeper's wooden desk as she bagged his purchases. Compared to Johto, everything in Nanzo was cheap.

Thinking about Nanzo naturally led to thinking about Cass. Liam wasn't sure if he had loved her first or Nanzo first, but her deep affection for the region's people, culture, and Pokemon had been contagious. He loved that about her. For someone who had spent barely two years in Nanzo, she felt like a local, and had a local's passion for sharing her favorite sights, spots, and tastes. She probably would have liked the long walk back to White Gardens from Bookwood Street if her physical condition would have allowed it. It was just her kind of ordinary happiness.

Liam sometimes ended his walks back from Bookwood Street on the bench below the apartment where the international youth group met, but tonight he didn't feel like it. Going out for shaokao—usually the only thing that could really tempt him—wasn't appealing right now. He needed to get his thoughts out.

He wanted to email Cass.

* * *

From: VengeanceOfSneasel

To: CassInTheCleods91

Subject: Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re: Hi ;)

_Hi Cass,_

_The first week back at school was good. I got the Sweet Hearts from Taylor. Thanks for sending them. Sneasel, Espeon, and all my Pokemon really enjoyed them. I've almost run out already, but I don't know if I'll be able to throw away the empty bag. I know we can't be… it feels stupid to even write it, so I won't. But it still hurts. I went walking today at Bookwood and all I could think about was you and how much you loved Everspring._

_Sorry, that probably just sounds weird._

_On a nicer note, I saw Chelsea Whitaker a lot this week. She's gonna join Team Virtue. It's made me think about what happened with Team Power at the Woven Bowl. I feel like I'm cashing in on your heroism, but it's cool to see that girl who was afraid to talk to us last year standing up for herself._

_There's one more thing. Chelsea got this weird note in her locker. Something about Team Power looking for "Rasmus." I have no idea what it means, but it's really been bothering me. I don't know. I'm probably just being paranoid._

_I really like the Noctowl City song you sent. I downloaded all of Ocean Eyes and I've been listening to it all week. I'm sending you a song that makes me think of you and how much you loved all the simple things in Nanzo._

_I miss you,_

_Liam_

File Attachment: RiseAgainst_Swing_Life_Away_mp3

* * *

_Hi Liam ;)_

_So, I know who Rasmus is!_

_You know Silas, right? Well, he used to go to Everspring Academy. He graduated before I was a student, but I met him a few times. Anyways, there were only five kids in his graduating class, and they were really tight. They called themselves the Blackwing Crew or something like that. They had all been together since, like, 4th grade, and they had always wanted to beat the Pokemon League, and after they graduated they actually did it. It was a really big deal when it happened, and pretty important for the school. Silas became the champion and his four classmates became the elite four. Their record was ridiculous, too. Nobody could beat them._

_Sorry, this is a long-winded way of telling you Rasmus was one of Silas's classmates in the Blackwing Crew. I think he went by Raz when he was a student. I don't know much about him other than he's not part of the elite four anymore. I think he did something, I don't know, really bad, and Silas and the rest of the crew had to deal with him, but even that was before my time._

_You should probably ask Liz or Taylor about it. They both know Silas, and they can remember way further back than I can._

_Oh, and I LOVE the Rise Against song you sent me! I remember you listening to it at the Orphanage._

_Be safe :3_

_Cass_


	17. Chapter 17

I Am Munchlax occasionally gave public performances before school. Liam found them in the middle of "Ocean Avenue"—the central anthem around which their repertoire of "street songs" was built—outside the school gate on the next Monday. They were clearly a little rusty after the summer—Rebecca's performance on the violin alone felt truly effortless—but Liam was glad to hear them playing again. He pitched a very small tip into Taylor's open guitar case, earning an appreciative wink.

"That's our last one," said Taylor as the song concluded. "We'll owe you one next time, Liam."

"Actually, I have a question," said Liam. "Uh… unrelated to music."

Taylor looked a little disappointed, but he shrugged and started packing his guitar.

"Ask away, dude."

"Cass told me to ask you about Rasmus," said Liam awkwardly.

"Oh, you mean Raz?" said Taylor. "What about him?"

Liam shifted uncomfortably.

"I… don't know?" he said. "Anything, I guess. There was something… anyways, I saw his name somewhere and I asked Cass about him, and she told me to ask you."

Taylor drummed his fingers thoughtfully on the lid of his guitar case.

"Well," he began. "Raz was old, old Everspring. He and Silas and the rest graduated when I was in middle school. They were just… man, those were the good old days. I used to hang out with them when they were skating or jamming or doing battles. Complete legends. We always knew they were gonna do it—take on the Pokemon league. They were just so good. At, like, everything. This baby right here…"

He patted his guitar case lovingly.

"Silas gave it to me. It still has some of his musical power in it."

"So… what about Rasmus?" prompted Liam. "I heard something… happened with him."

Taylor made a face.

"Well, yeah, he went off the deep end or something. He was psychic—dude could snap pencils in half with his mind and stuff like that. I think he started messing with people's heads during official matches. After that came out, the League Commission kicked him out of the Elite Four. I dunno what happened to him after that."

The bell rang. Taylor hoisted his guitar case over his shoulder and jerked his head in the direction of the school gate.

"So, what was this about again?" he asked as they walked together.

"Just a weird note somebody got," said Liam evasively. "Something about Rasmus."

"Hmm, weird," said Taylor. He didn't sound too concerned. "You coming to the lock-in on Friday?"

"I think so," said Liam. "Not really my thing, but Vasi and Sylvia have been selling it hard. I don't think I really have a choice."

"Hey, it'll be awesome," said Taylor reassuringly. "Principal Kahakai's letting us have a dance party at 3 AM. Plus there's supposed to be pizza. I go anywhere there's free pizza."

"That's a good point," Liam granted.

Maybe a lock-in was worth it—at least for the pizza. He wondered if he should tell Chelsea what he had found out about Rasmus. He decided to wait. The note could still turn out to be a weird one-off thing, and he didn't want to creep Chelsea out by revealing that he had been doing his own research. If it came up, it came up, but Liam would hold onto it for now.

* * *

"What you lack is confidence!" growled Professor Werner. "If you don't believe that your Pokemon will do what you command, do not command it! Battles are based on mutual trust. If you don't trust your Pokemon, how can it trust you? Are you a trainer?"

"Last time I checked," Liam muttered.

"Then command like one," said Werner, tapping his cane irritably. "Give your Pokemon reason to be confident in you. I ask again: are you a trainer?"

It was Thursday, and Liam and Tim Choi were giving an exhibition battle for the younger members of Team Virtue—Chelsea Whitaker, now wearing her green team jacket, among them. Werner was in an unusually sour mood, critiquing every move Liam and Tim made. Liam, however, was coming in for the brunt of it.

"I'm a trainer," said Liam, trying hard to keep his anger under control. "Espeon, use Psychic!"

Seeing Chelsea and the other new members of Team Virtue receive their team jackets had been a heartwarming experience. Even after just one semester in Team Virtue, it felt like the birth of a new generation. More importantly, it was a reminder that Team Power's shadow still hung over the entire school community, including the younger students. Nanzo was still safe, but only for now. Perhaps that was what was eating at Professor Werner as well.

"Your choices should be automatic," he said, snapping his fingers impatiently. "There's too much hesitation. They won't hesitate, I can assure you."

"Then maybe they'll do something stupid like I keep on doing!" said Liam.

He was yelling now, despite his efforts to keep calm in front of Werner and the other students, and he immediately saw the disappointment in Werner's eyes.

"We'll finish this battle another time," said Werner curtly. "Aziz, Jera, why do you give a demonstration?"

Liam reluctantly recalled his Espeon. He hated weathering Werner's criticism, but he also hated seeing Werner disappointed in him. All that together meant that at the moment, he hated Werner, and he was glad to put some distance between them.

"That was rough, bro," said Chelsea Whitaker as Liam took the empty seat next to her.

"He's being ridiculous," Liam grumbled.

"I still like him," said Chelsea pleasantly.

"Good for you."

Liam watched Jera and Aziz's battle in sullen silence. He noticed that Werner wasn't anywhere near as critical as the younger students as he had been with him. That wasn't fair, but… Liam could see the point. As Team Virtue's second-oldest student member, he sometimes had to be the object lesson. Aziz and Jera weren't experienced enough to take the full brunt of Werner's tongue-lashings—Liam was. It didn't make him feel any better, though.

"Tim, Liam, I've brought you someone."

Liam turned around and, to his surprise, saw Taylor standing at the entrance of the tent. Beside him was a student Liam recognized by sight: Orchid Ng. Orchid was a 9th grader, with a long curtain of black hair that covered most of her face. To say that Orchid was shy was to put it mildly—Liam had never heard her speak before. She looked a little shell-shocked even to be there.

"Hey, man," said Timothy, beckoning for Taylor and Orchid to sit down. "This is the first time the flow of the Dao has brought you to a Team Virtue meeting."

"Yeah, well, the Dao flows in mysterious ways," said Taylor sarcastically. "I'm just here to deliver a team member for you. Think of it as a favor from Team Truth. Orchid, this is Timothy Choi and Liam Holbrook. Guys, this is Orchid Ng. She's a protege of mine that's interested in joining up with you losers."

"Hi Orchid!" said Chelsea.

Orchid only just returned her classmate's friendly wave. Professor Werner had noticed the unexpected arrivals and was hobbling towards them with his cane.

"Mr. Moran," croaked Professor Werner. "What is it that you've brought us?"

"Hey, Professor," said Taylor. "You know Orchid, right? Well, for some reason she thinks joining Team Virtue would be a good use of her Thursdays. Right, Orchid?"

Orchid nodded.

"I'm… yeah. W-what Taylor said."

Her small voice cracked as she spoke, and she carefully avoided Werner's penetrating blue eyes.

"Very well," said Werner. "Are you familiar with the precepts of Team Virtue, Miss Ng?"

Orchid coughed and started rocking on her heels.

"Right r-rituals, right roles, and r-right…. relationships."

Taylor gestured to his protege as if to say "See?"

"Very good," said Werner. "We'll get you a Team Virtue jacket next time. Liam, bring Miss Ng up to date with what we're doing. Thank you, Mr, Moran."

Werner gave Taylor an appreciative nod and returned to the front of the tent, leaving Liam to handle Orchid. Taylor gave them a cheeky goodbye salute and departed.

"Hi, uh, Orchid," said Liam. "You can sit down here with me and Chez and I'll… uh, explain things."

Liam knew Werner was testing him by leaving him with Orchid—daring him to overcome his resentment and put on a responsible face for their newest member. It was the last thing Liam wanted to do, but he knew he needed to do it anyways. That, he imagined, was something like "virtue."

"We're doing practice battles today," explained Liam, trying to keep his voice neutral. "And by practice battles, I mean 'Werner goes full inquisition on everything you do' battles."

"Professor Werner was giving Liam a hard time," said Chelsea. "Because he likes him."

"Professor Werner is much nicer if he hates you," Liam concurred sarcastically. "So make sure he doesn't take a liking to you and you'll be fine."

To Liam's surprise, Orchid giggled. The sound made the Sneasel perched on Liam's shoulder jump. Orchid gave a startled jump in return, and the two stared at each other with mutual curiosity.

"Is that y-your… Sneasel?" asked Orchid timidly. Her voice was still low and raspy, but it didn't waver as much now that Professor Werner wasn't standing over her.

"Yeah," said Liam. "You wanna see him?"

Orchid nodded, and Liam lifted his Sneasel off his left shoulder and set it on the table, where it looked just as vulnerable and cornered as Orchid had when Taylor escorted her in a few moments ago.

"He's a little nervous," said Liam. "He likes to be high up. He feels safer when he's watching you instead of you watching him."

Orchid offered her hand gently to Sneasel, who sniffed it cautiously.

"Orchid's alright," said Liam encouragingly.

"It's okay," said Orchid. "He can d-decide."

Sneasel gave a small growl, and Orchid jerked her small hand away.

"Sneasel!" Liam scolded. "Be nice."

Sneasel shook its head stubbornly and clambered back onto Liam's shoulder. Orchid giggled again.

"He's just… shy," she said. "Oh, it is a he, right?"

"Yep," said Liam. "You can tell by the quill on his head. It's shorter on female Sneasels."

"Cool," said Orchid.

She continued to look admiringly at the Pokemon on Liam's shoulder.

"You like Dark types, Orchid?" asked Liam.

"Oh, uh… I don't know. I think Sneasel looks… cool."

"Orchid's an artist," said Chelsea. "She's really good, too. But she only likes to draw scary Pokemon."

Orchid's eyes widened a bit and her cheeks turned red, as if Chelsea had just exposed her to Liam.

"What Pokemon do you have?" said Liam, sensing that Orchid's artistic abilities weren't a place she wanted to start with new people.

"Dartrix," said Orchid. "And Spinarak. And… Grimer. The Alolan kind."

"Did you live in Alola at some point?"

Orchid nodded.

"When I was… younger."

"Where are you from originally?" asked Liam.

Orchid looked a little trapped.

"I know that's a loaded question," Liam laughed. "Just… give it your best shot."

"I'm… my parents are from Dongzo," began Orchid hesitantly. "I was born in Orre. I've lived in Orre, Dongzo, Alola, and Nanzo."

"Dang," said Liam. "You're like an omega-level TCK. Nanzo's only the second place I've ever lived."

"Me too," said Chelsea.

Orchid gave an embarrassed smile, but didn't seem inclined to take the subject any further.

"Are you guys going to the lock-in?" asked Chelsea, changing the topic.

"I… yeah," said Orchid.

Liam only shrugged.

"Oh, come on, bro," said Chelsea. "You don't come to anything! You gotta step up."

"I come to some things," said Liam sullenly.

"Marsha told me the only reason you came to—"

"Here we go with Marsha telling me about my life again," said Liam. "You know, the other day you told me I didn't really know you, so let me turn that back on you and Marsha. You don't really know me."

Chelsea frowned.

"Well, how is that gonna change unless you actually come to school events sometimes?"

Her voice was half-whining, half-teasing, and Orchid tried to conceal her smirk at Liam's obvious consternation. She did have a point.

"Fine," said Liam. "I'll come."

"You know," said Chelsea slyly, "You say I don't know you, bro, but you just proved one thing Marsha told me."

"And what's that?"

Chelsea leaned forward confidentially.

"You can't say no to girls."

Orchid giggled.


	18. Chapter 18

Claire was surprised to see Rasmus slumped in a chair in the Grandmaster's office when she answered her father's summons that day. The last time she had seen him, Rasmus was barely able to walk, and he still looked skeletally thin and pale as she took the seat beside him facing the Grandmaster's lacquered desk.

"Have you found… my Pokemon?" asked Rasmus.

His hair and beard had been cut, but he still wore the heavy fur coat they had given him back at the temple. The Grandmaster, by contrast, wore his usual ornate white and gold uniform.

"They are locked away on the Tubon Plateau," explained the Grandmaster in his soft, almost gentle voice. "Still in the possession of the Elite Four and their champion."

"Why not go claim them?" said Rasmus icily.

Claire shot a nervous glance at the Grandmaster, but his painted face concealed his thoughts.

"We don't have the strength to assault the Tubon Plateau," said the Grandmaster simply. "Not yet. Apart from your former schoolmates, many of the gym leaders driven out by Team Power have taken refuge in the High Dzong. And Nanzo remains to be dealt with. Its gym leaders are strong, and the Elite Four will come to its defence. We will need time to prepare for that final confrontation."

"I… will also need time," said Rasmus. "My body is weakened, and my mind is weakened with it. I don't have the power I once had."

"You will have rest," the Grandmaster reassured him. "We will have no need of your abilities this autumn. Take these weeks to recover. Eat. Drink. Meditate. Your powers will return in full. You are Team Power's honored guest, and most valuable ally."

Rasmus rose to leave.

"The grunts have been instructed to meet all your needs," said the Grandmaster. "Though I don't suppose they could have resisted either way."

Rasmus nodded and left the Grandmaster's office.

"Grandmaster," said Claire. "You told Rasmus you wouldn't need him this autumn. What about the attack on Nanzo?"

"Plans have changed," said the Grandmaster. "Our designs for Nanzo will take longer than anticipated. Rasmus must be returned to his full strength, and there are other matters to be seen to. Many things must fall into place before we make war on Nanzo and its gym leaders. Until then, we will focus on the further pacification of the Three Regions."

"Let me scout out Nanzo," said Claire eagerly. "I can keep an eye on it for you—I'll be the eyes of Team Power in the south."

The Grandmaster scoffed.

"Don't imagine that I can't see right through you," he said derisively. "You are still hungry for revenge against your schoolmates. You would gamble the success of Team Power on your own petty grudges."

"Grandmaster, I—."

"You will remain here and attend to Rasmus," said the Grandmaster with a dismissive wave of his hand. "His recovery is imperative. Nanzo will wait. There is nothing further to discuss."

Claire hesitated.

"Dad, please," she said, dropping the formal cold manner expected within the ranks of Team Power. "I promise I won't cause you any trouble. I'll go to Nanzo alone and keep an eye on it for you. Just give me a chance."

"My answer is unchanged," said the Grandmaster. "Now, go to your quarters. I have business with the triads."

Claire sighed. She wanted to argue, but a knock on the office door told her it would have to wait. With a stiff bow, she left the office by a side door. Instead of returning to her quarters, however, she left in the direction of the deserted south wing.

Most of the abandoned factory that served as Team Power's headquarters had been fully converted into living quarters, holding cells, and storage rooms. They even had a fully-staffed Pokemon center down on the second level. The south wing, however, had never been touched. This was simply a matter of practicality—the south wing was drafty, damp, and filled with rusty industrial equipment. Apart from a few Pokemon Claire saw as no better than vermin—Rattata, Zubat, Grimer—the south wing was entirely uninhabited. This made it, in a way, more private even than her own quarters, but that wasn't why Claire sometimes came there alone.

She came for the view.

At the top of a peeling ladder in a disused boiler room was a rusted metal hatch that offered access to the roof on the factory's southern side. With some difficulty, Claire pried open the hatch and climbed onto the flat concrete roof, exposing herself to the dusty winds and warm afternoon sun. It was a little chilly, but the vast, multicolored landscape of tans, reds, grays, and browns flecked with deep green made the cold worth it. Claire had hated Nanzo during the few years that her family lived there, but she had grown to appreciate the rugged natural beauty of Shizo's arid plateaus and lush valleys. It reminded her of Orre, where her family had vacationed together every summer before her parents quietly separated two years ago. She had chosen to stay with her father because she admired him, and she thought her loyalty would be rewarded with affection. It hadn't turned out that way. Her father had grown colder, and while reviving the ancient School of Power certainly suited him better than being the neurotic and overworked principal of a small international school, the change hadn't made him more patient or tolerant of his daughter. If anything, without other kids her age to measure herself against, Claire had lost the only avenue to her father's heart she had left. He had taken pride in her report cards, her perfect conduct reports, and even seemed to regard the contempt of students like Grace Shaw as a compliment to Claire. On good days, he had even spoiled her. But he had always taught her to be strong, to be better, to lead—and he never appeared fully satisfied with her efforts. She had come to accept that he considered her a dissapointment, but she still believed—or hoped—that she could change that.

Claire scooped up a pebble and tossed it as far as she could into the valley below. Her eyes followed it as it fell short of where she had aimed for and bounced to a premature halt on a slope about ten meters away. With a frustrated groan, she picked up another rock. This one flew farther—clearing the ledge where the factory stood and disappearing into the valley below. Claire felt disappointed in herself. Her father had taught her to value only perfection.

That took away the pleasure of even her smallest successes.


	19. Chapter 19

"So you caved, huh?" said Mori. "Which girl was it?"

She looked a little annoyed, which made Liam annoyed at her.

"Sorry I won't be sitting at home texting you all night," said Liam. "And who said it was a girl?"

Mori crossed her arms and fixed her large, black eyes on Liam.

"So… maybe it was a girl, but it's not—."

Mori gave him a hard flick on his shoulder.

"Chez Whitaker guilt-tripped me, okay," said Liam defensively. "Anyways, why does it matter to you whether I'm going or not?"

"Maybe I wanted someone to sit at home and text me all night," said Mori innocently. "We could have gotten dinner, at least. Now me and Missy are gonna have to sit around staring at each other."

"Have you finally watched all the anime in the world, then?"

Mori scowled.

"I'm under sanctions from the parental authority," Mori grumbled. "I don't get my laptop back until September."

"That's rough," said Liam. "What about your boyfriend? What's he doing?"

"He'll be at school with you," said Mori glumly. "And everybody else."

She looked genuinely upset, and Liam was more than ready to feel sorry for her, until…

"Wanna buy me lunch?"

Liam rolled his eyes.

"Mori, I'm not your boyfriend," he said.

"But I'm sad," Mori pouted. "You don't want a pretty goth girl to be sad, do you?"

Liam felt himself starting to blush.

"Oh my gosh, you're gonna do it," said Mori triumphantly. "Yes! Free lunch. And I still have you under my thumb."

"I'll buy you lunch because you're my friend," said Liam, but Mori's smirk told him she wasn't buying any of it.

"You're buying me lunch because you want all the pretty girls in the world to be happy," she said teasingly. "And that's sweet, even if it does make you a total sucker. Come on, let's get some chao er si. I'm starving."

* * *

"You know what tastes even better than fried noodles? Free fried noodles. Right, Missy?"

Mori's Misdreavus giggled and did a floating somersault.

"Missy doesn't eat noodles; she's a ghost," Liam pointed out.

"But she can appreciate the way not paying for something makes it taste even better," said Mori.

Missy cackled and stuck her tongue out at Liam.

"Why is it that every time I do something nice for you I feel like I got played?" Liam muttered.

"Because you did," said Mori. "But don't hate yourself for it. Someday you'll meet a girl that will be very impressed by what a sucker you are."

"Somehow I doubt that."

"Oh, come on," said Mori bracingly. "Don't you get sad on me now, because I'm not buying you anything. I know you think you're some kind of bad boy because you wear black jeans and only catch edgy Pokemon, but you're a total sweetheart when you're not pissed about something and some girls—I repeat, some—like that. You just need to luck out and find one that isn't an embassy kid—or a psycho."

"You know of some psycho that's interested in me?" asked Liam lightly.

"I'm not letting psycho girls anywhere near you," said Mori resolutely. "It's for your own good, trust me. You couldn't handle them."

Misdreavus snickered.

"Speaking of psycho girls," said Mori in a low voice.

Marsha Cheong was running towards them.

"Liam," she said breathlessly. "Chelsea says she needs to speak with you."

Her tone, as usual, was weirdly businesslike.

"Now?"

"Immediately," said Marsha, carefully enunciating each syllable.

Liam glanced at Mori, who was eyeing Marsha's pink hoodie and short, pleated skirt with undisguised disgust.

"Sorry, I told Professor Werner I would look out for—" Liam began, but Mori wasn't interested.

"Whatever," she said. "I'll see you in class."

She pushed past Marsha, heading for the school's main gate. Liam was half-tempted to stop her, but Marsha was grunting impatiently.

"Okay, okay," said Liam. "Let's go see Chez."

* * *

They found Chelsea sitting on the floor next to the high school lockers, staring intently at a small piece of paper. Liam guessed instantly what it was.

"Another note?" he said.

Chelsea nodded. As she handed the paper to him, Liam noticed that her hands were trembling. The fearful expression on her freckled face reminded him more of the girl he had known last year—the girl he had seen crying in the Pokemon center after a Team Power grunt had crushed her Scraggy under his boot.

TEAM POWER HAVE RASMUS. TELL THE POKEMON LEAGUE AT ONCE.

"Have you shown this to anyone else?" asked Liam.

Chelsea shook her head, her loose red curls brushing against her face.

"I guess we should show it to Christine," said Liam. "Miss Snyder, I mean."

Marsha nodded. Together, they helped Chelsea to her feet and led her to MIss Snyder's office, where the guidance counselor was meeting with Sylvia and Ruth about the lock-in.

"Oh, Marsha," said Sylvia as they entered. "We were wondering where you were. We need to finish the—is something wrong?"

"Can we have privacy for a moment?" said Marsha.

Sylvia and Ruth looked at each other in surprise.

"We'll finish this later, Sylvia," said Miss Snyder. "Chelsea, why don't you sit down? Ruth, please close the—thanks."

Marsha and Liam ushered Chelsea onto the low couch that stood against the wall of the office as Miss Snyder crouched beside her.

"What's going on?" asked Miss Snyder tenderly.

Liam held out the piece of paper.

"Another one, huh?" said Miss Snyder.

"Yeah," said Liam. "And I found out what they're about. Rasmus was a student that used to go here. He's—."

"I know," interrupted Miss Snyder. "I did some research myself. I'm the guidance counselor for a reason, you know."

There was a cocky gleam in her eyes.

"The note said to contact the Pokemon League," said Liam. "Should we—?"

"I'll call Silas," said Miss Snyder. "This is pretty serious, but I don't want any of you to worry, or to get caught up in it. Keep your eyes open, but don't dwell on it. Liam."

Liam scowled.

"But Christine, what if—."

Miss Snyder raised an eyebrow.

"I mean… consider the hypothetical possibility that—."

Chelsea snorted despite herself, which made Liam's heart feel lighter.

"You guys need to worry about enjoying the lock-in," said Miss Snyder, returning to her desk. "I'm going to call Silas right now. Chelsea, you found this note just last period?"

"Yeah," said Chelsea. "It wasn't in my locker this morning."

"I'll talk with the gate guard to make sure no one was on campus that shouldn't have been. I'll tell you if I find anything, but I don't want any of you bugging me about it. More last thing: keep this to yourself. Don't talk about it with anyone who doesn't need to know. I think all three of you will find that a bit of a challenge."

Marsha looked a little perplexed, but Chelsea and Liam glanced guiltily at each other.

"Lunch is almost over," said Miss Snyder, glancing at her watch. "Get out of here."

Chelsea's mood seemed to have improved by the meeting with Miss Snyder, but Liam still resolved to stick with her and Marsha until they made it to Coach Tang's Battle Class. As usual, class began late, and that gave Liam time to ask the question that had been bothering him for the past week.

"Who do you think is leaving the notes?" Liam whispered.

"I dunno," said Chelsea. "That's the scariest part, actually. Either there's someone from outside who's sneaking in just to leave notes in my locker… or…"

"It's another student," said Liam. "Someone who knows a lot about Team Power."

"Yeah," said Chelsea quietly. "I… don't like to think about who that could be."

Coach Tang blew her whistle.


	20. Chapter 20

"I will bet you an ice tea that she won't finish this equation before the bell rings," whispered Vasilio.

"I have a better idea," said Liam. "I will bet you five ice teas that she will never finish an equation at any point this year."

Despite Vasilio's initial cautious optimism, Coach Tang's Pokemon Chemistry class had turned out to be exactly what everyone feared it would be—a muddled, confusing slog through a complex subject that even Coach Tang clearly didn't understand that well. Watching their teacher spend half the class trying to balance a relatively simple chemical equation quickly became a regular feature, and this Friday it was an especially unwelcome one.

"Somebody should ask her about the time she caught Pokerus," said Vasilio with a grin.

"Don't you dare," said Mori in a panicked whisper. "Vasi, if you say one word, I will—."

Vasilio raised his hand. Mori, in turn, pounced on him and did everything she could to wrestle his arm out of the air before Coach Tang noticed it. It was a pointless scuffle. Coach Tang was so absorbed in solving the problem on the board that she didn't notice either Vasilio's hand or the sound of Mori trying to choke him to death. When the last bell of the day finally rang, Liam wasn't the only one that gave an audible sigh of relief.

"Lock-in time!" said Vasilio, doing a drum roll on his desk.

"Hooray," Mori groaned.

She looked particularly sour. Clearly the prospect of spending an evening alone with her parents was weighing heavily on her. As she packed her things listlessly into her bag, Liam noticed her black notebook peeking out of its main pocket.

"So, what are you gonna do tonight, Mori?" asked Vasilio.

He sounded casual, but Liam could tell he was concerned.

"Read some yaoi and feel sorry for myself," replied Mori dryly.

Liam gave an uncomfortable cough, but Vasilio snorted.

"I'll call you later and tell you how it's going," he said. "I wouldn't want you to get too lonely."

Mori shrugged, but Liam thought he caught a glimpse of a barely-repressed smile.

"We'll walk you to the bus," put in Liam.

"Okay, now you're just coddling me," said Mori, rolling her eyes. "I'll be fine. You two have fun. Liam, talk to some girls. I'll see you guys on Monday."

"You sure you don't wanna do something tomorrow?" said Vasili as they left the chemistry room. "Maybe get some lunch at Feather and Petal Street?"

"Now you're just being stupid," said Mori. "You guys will not be awake enough for anything tomorrow."

"Fair point," Vasi acknowledged.

* * *

Liam regretted agreeing to stay for the lock-in almost as soon as it began. He stuck close to Vasilio through the ice-breaker games, but Rebecca's presence made him feel like an awkward third wheel. It wasn't that he didn't like Rebecca, or that Rebecca, Vasi, and the others didn't include him—Liam just found the highly-structured socializing and mingling tiresome, and having to share Vasilio with his doting pseudo-girlfriend meant he had no one to complain to. By the time the pizza finally arrived, Liam was thinking enviously of the uncomfortable dinner Mori was having with her parents. He would have gladly taken tense silences over this many people.

As the students lined up for pizza, Arthur came by and collected Vasilio from their group. Liam took the opportunity to ditch Rebecca and Liz and join the girls from his class at another table. He was glad to see that he wasn't the only one who had taken more slices than was polite—Ruth had piled her plate even higher than his.

"Looks like we should've put Ruth in the competition instead of Vasi," teased Sylvia.

Ruth stuck her tongue out at Sylvia and took a large, resentful bite of pizza.

"Oh, let Ruth eat in peace," said Liam. "Also, what competition?"

As if in answer to his question, Arthur, armed with a microphone and a cheeky grin, lept onto a nearby table.

"Ladies and gentlemen," said Arthur dramatically, his voice echoing through the school atrium, "Welcome to the battle of the century! In this corner: with a voice that will break your heart and a guitar that will break your eardrums, a rock god who trained under Silas himself, the Don Juan from Driftveil City—Taylor Moran!"

Taylor bowed dramatically as the students cheered and whistled.

"Don't worry girls, I'm here all night," said Taylor as he blew kisses.

"And in this corner," said Arthur, pointing to Vasilio. "The azure-eyed sophomore from Fall City in Fiore—sorry ladies, he's taken—the Ice-type underdog with a stomach of steel—Vasilio Autunno-Gallagher!"

Liam and the other sophomores cheered wildly, but none of them were as loud as Rebecca, who whistled and made hearts shapes at Vasi with her hands.

"And now, their challenge," said Arthur, lowering his voice to draw in the watching students. "For the next five minutes, these two contestants must eat as many slices of pizza as possible. Each slice must be fully consumed—crust included. Only fully-devoured slices will be counted towards your total. Whoever eats the most pizza will be crowned Grand Glutton and will win a date with my sister, the student council president, to Santiago's Coffee House!"

"I thought we agreed to make your Steelix the grand prize!" called Sylvia.

The other students laughed. Arthur, as usual, couldn't quite keep up with his younger sister.

"Okay, so maybe I made up that last part," mumbled Arthur sheepishly. "You get a plastic Snorlax medal and a gift card."

"Sounds good to me, dude," said Taylor, licking his lips."You all ready to lose, Vasi?"

"Only if you are," said Vasilio with a smirk.

"Get ready," shouted Arthur. "Get set…. Eat!"

The crowd of students and Pokemon that formed around Taylor and Vasi blocked Liam's view, but he could tell from the occasional cheers and growing chants of "Taylor! Taylor!" that the competition was proving pretty one sided. He thought about getting closer to support his friend, but he figured Vasi—who knew how Liam felt about crowds—would understand if he didn't. As Arthur's buzzing phone announced the end of the five minutes, Liam wasn't at all surprised to see Taylor climb onto the table with him and begin giving comic curtseys and bows.

"I think Taylor ate his entire weight in pizza," groaned Vasilio as he joined his classmates at their table.

"I told you we should have sent Ruth," said Sylvia with a toothy grin.

"I am not a glutton," Ruth insisted. "I just… enjoy eating."

"Yeah, what Ruth needs is a test of endurance," snickered Liam. "See how much pizza she can eat in five hours, not five minutes. She'll crush us all."

Ruth cocked her head.

"Thank you?" said Ruth, clearly still pondering whether it really was a compliment.

"You're welcome," said Liam. "I guess."

* * *

"Liam."

Liam looked up from his third plate of pizza, wondering if he was somehow in trouble. Miss Snyder was standing over him with her arms crossed.

"What did I do?"

"Nothing," said Miss Snyder. "Well, almost nothing. Silas wants to talk to you about Chelsea."

"Oh," said Liam. "Like, now?"

"No, next week," said Miss Snyder with a roll of her eyes. "Yes, now. He's over there. I've got some things to take care of. Don't make the school look bad."

"How often have I done that?"

"Never," said Miss Snyder. "But you could always start now. It's my job to head off potential delinquents. Get going, the Champion's time is valuable."

Liam pushed his plate across the table to Ruth and got up.

"Don't take too long," said Vasilio. "Victory Road is starting in like 10 minutes."

Liam wasn't sure what "Victory Road" was, but he was sure he didn't mind if he missed it. With his Sneasel perched on his shoulder, Liam crossed the atrium to where Silas, the League Champion of the Four Region, was leaning against the column near the door. He wasn't hard to recognize—from his spiked blonde hair to his heavy black boots, Silas exuded coolness and confidence.

"Liam, right?" said Silas.

"Yeah."

"You've bumped into Team Power quite a bit."

Liam nodded. Silas' tone wasn't accusatory, but here was still something in it Liam couldn't quite place.

"You've got no idea who's sending Chelsea those notes?"

"No," said Liam.

Silas frowned.

"That poor kid," he mused. "After what happened last year…"

"Hello Liam, Silas."

Liam turned and found himself caught between the Pokemon League Champion and Principal Kahakai, who was wearing a burgundy cardigan and a wide smile.

"Mariam," said Silas with a nod.

Liam recalled that Silas had graduated long before Principal Kahakai took up her post at Everspring, and had therefore never known her as a student, only as a fellow adult.

"Miss Snyder just told me you were here about the odd note Chelsea found," said Principal Kahakai. "I hope it wasn't too much of a shock."

Silas grimaced.

"I heard about Raz just a few minutes before I got Christine's call," he explained. "It happened last week—Thursday night. One of the monks had to walk three days to get down from the temple cave, and then it took a long time to make its way to the Tubon Plateau."

"Is there any danger for the school?" asked Principal Kahakai, her smile fading. "Should the students—?"

Silas shook his head.

"Raz is dangerous, but it'll be a long time before he's dangerous to us in Nanzo. I'd be more worried for Team Power. Either way, he'll be in a bad state. Imagine waking up after being asleep for three years. It'll take a long time for him to get it together."

"Good," said Principal Kahakai.

They were all silent for a moment.

"Do you, uh, need me for anything else?" asked Liam

"You're good," said Silas. "Thanks for helping me out, Liam."

Liam didn't feel like he had been helpful at all, but the approval of someone as cool as Silas still made him feel cool by proxy, and he wasn't going to quibble with that. With an awkward smile and a slight bow, Liam excused himself and went looking for Vasi. He wasn't anywhere in the school atrium, but with a little help from Rebecca, Liam found him pacing the second floor landing with his phone to his ear.

"Yeah… No, we just finished. Taylor won. Yeah, don't rub it in… You sure you're doing okay? ...Yeah, he's fine. Yeah, I'll tell him to call you… Mori, are you… Yeah, okay. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Mori—."

Vasilio sighed heavily and put his phone in his pocket.

"How's she doing?" asked Liam.

"Well, she got in a fight with her dad," said Vasi gloomily. "And I called her before Dustin did, which made her mad at me, even though…"

He sniffed.

"It's hard to feel sorry for her when she acts like such a bitch when you try to care."

Vasi drummed his fingers on the railing and shrugged.

"She's actually doing alright this year," he granted. "All things considered."

"Well, that's good, right?"

"I guess," said Vasi. "I'm still not a big fan of the Mori-Dustin thing. I know why she thinks I'm not a fan, but that doesn't matter to me. I'm not jealous. I just know it's going to end with her getting hurt."

"Why?" said Liam. "I mean, why are you so sure Mori's gonna get hurt?"

"Because I called her first," said Vasilio simply.

Vasilio's phone buzzed again.

"It's Rebecca," he said, looking at the screen. "It's probably time for—hi. Yeah. we'll be done in a minute. See you."

He hung up.

"Victory Road time," said Vasi with a grin.

"What's Victory Road?" asked Liam apprehensively.

"You'll see."


	21. Chapter 21

"Victory Road" turned out to be a hybrid of capture the flag, sardines, and, of course, Pokemon battling. The goal of the game was to find the "Pokemon League," a hidden location somewhere on the school grounds. The game pitted the students against the "guards;" a group of around ten students dedicated to stopping anyone from finding the League. Students confronted by the guards would have to face them in a one-on-one Pokemon battle—the fact that Sylvia and Ruth were among the guards meant this would be no cakewalk. If they lost, the students were sent to a designated jail zone in the school atrium, guarded vigilantly by Miss Snyder.

Liam's plan to stick close to Vasilio was instantly foiled when Rebecca dragged him off herself. There was an element of stealth to the game, and Liam figured a group of three would make avoiding battles very unlikely. He briefly considered joining with Chelsea, but she had also disappeared. With a resigned shrug, Liam struck out on his own, slinking into the shadows of the main stairs leading to the second floor.

Liam didn't have the greatest hearing—his mother blamed the hours spent listening to loud music from large headphones—and the fall of night made the inside of the school dark and eerie. Liam crept slowly along the second floor landing, peeking into classrooms. Sneasel, clinging to Liam's shoulder, was much more alert, and Liam was sure his Pokemon would detect an approaching guard long before he would.

"Hear anything?" Liam mumbled.

Sneasel shook its head. They ducked into an elementary classroom and peered around at the empty desks and chairs. Even with the light from nearby apartments leaking in the curtained windows—Everspring's abundance of light pollution meant the city was never really dark, even in the dead of night—they couldn't see much. Liam fumbled around a little, making sure there was no sign of the red flag that marked the location of the League.

"Hey dude."

Liam wheeled around and saw August, a curly-haired senior and friend of Taylor's, framed in the classroom door.

"Hey, August," said Liam with relief. "I don't think it's in here."

"Figures," said August. "Liz said she thinks it might be somewhere on the school grounds. I'm gonna check the 4th grade room then head out there."

"Have you seen any guards?"

August shook his head, his shaggy curls casting dancing shadows on the tile floor of the classroom.

"Nah. I'll see ya. Don't get caught."

He was gone. Liam took one last look around the classroom and, with a resigned shrug, stepped back out into the hall. The atrium below was quiet, but Liam could hear the distant crashes of a Pokemon battle outside. He decided to follow August's hint and head in that direction.

"Aha!"

Liam gave such a violent start that he almost threw Sneasel from his shoulders. Sylvia Liu, her glasses flashing dangerously, had just stepped out of the shadows with a Pokeball in hand.

"Hi, Sylv," said Liam, taking a step back. "Can't you just let me go because I voted for you for president?"

"No, you don't get special treatment just for doing the right thing," smirked Sylvia. "You using your Sneasel?"

"I guess."

"Then let's do this. Arcanine, go!"

"You sure you don't wanna choose something else?" said Liam sheepishly.

"Not my fault that you don't have any Fire type coverage," said Sylvia pleasantly. "Quit stalling, Liam."

Liam glanced at the Sneasel on his shoulder.

"Sorry," he muttered. "You're up."

Sneasel sprang from his shoulder and landed on all fours on the slick hall floor.

"Arcanine," said Sylvia. "ExtremeSpeed!"

Arcanine blitzed forward so quickly that its massive form was reduced to a blur. With a crack, Sneasel was knocked back and sent sliding across the hall floor. Liam wondered for a moment if the battle was already over, but Sneasel was soon back on its feet—winded, but not out yet.

"Sneasel, use Slash!" said Liam.

With a snarl, Sneasel lunged forward and raked its claws against Arcanine's neck. It was a vicious attack, but with little effect. Arcanine tossed its head and crouched low for its next assault.

"Arcanine, Fire Blast!" commanded Sylvia.

Liam winced on his Pokemon's behalf as the burning blast engulfed Sneasel, singeing its fur and blackening the tile floor. Sneasel staggered forward, tried to catch its balance, and fell face-first to the ground.

"That was mean," said Liam, recalling his fainted Pokemon.

"Oh, stop whining," said Sylvia with a grin. "You're banished to Christine's prison. Get moving."

Liam frowned, shrugged, and started back downstairs. He found Miss Snyder guarding a group of about 10 students in a taped-off area in the inside corner of the atrium. Vasilio, Rebecca, and Chelsea were among them.

"Sylvia got you?" said Vasi with a grin.

"Yeah," said Liam.

He reached out and took the Revive Vasilio handed to him and used it on his fainted Sneasel.

"Ruth got me and Vasi," said Rebecca. "She's insane."

"Yeah, you don't expect that from her," Liam granted. "She actually has—."

"You all are awfully talkative for prisoners," interrupted Miss Snyder. "Shouldn't you be on your knees begging for freedom or trying to escape or something like that?"

"Are we allowed to escape?" asked Rebecca.

"No," said Miss Snyder. "You can beg for freedom, though. I won't release you, but you're free to beg."

"Doesn't sound worth it," said Vasilio.

"That's funny," said Miss Snyder. "Because I remember all of you coming to my office to beg on your knees at some time or other."

Liam rolled his eyes.

* * *

The next two games of Victory Road didn't go much better for Liam. He was ambushed by Jonah near the cafeteria tent five minutes into the second round, and Sylvia found him again as he crept his way into the science room just a few minutes into round three.

"You've been having bad luck," said Sylvia, adjusting her round glasses with a grin as Liam recalled his fainted Espeon.

"Yeah, no kidding," said Liam irritably. "You sure you're not stalking me, Sylv?"

"I'm sure," said Sylvia, stroking her Arcanine affectionately. "You're just loud—and super unlucky."

Liam granted that she was probably right, Victory Road was one of those games that could be fun—in the right place, with the right people, and with enough luck—but none of that was working out for him tonight. With a shrug, he started back down the main stairs, but on the second floor landing he turned aside. There was a light on in a classroom that hadn't been there before—or perhaps Liam just hadn't noticed it? His curiosity (and boredom with getting caught over and over again) got the better of him, and he decided to opt out of this round of Victory Road. Crouching stealthily in the shadows (just in case Sylvia caught him again), Liam followed the beam of light pouring from the half-open classroom door. The sign beside it informed him that this was the art room—a part of the school he had never visited before. Liam peeked through the cracked door. The lightly briefly blinded and disoriented him, but as his eyes adjusted, Liam caught sight of Orchid Ng standing at an easel. She had a brush in her hand, and she was humming quietly to herself as she made confident, delicate strokes on the canvas. So far as Liam could tell, there was no one else in the room.

"Orchid?" said Liam.

She didn't hear him. Liam took a step into the room, and noticed two white wires poking out from under Orchid's long black hair. That explained why she hadn't heard him.

"Orchid," Liam repeated, raising his voice a little.

She still hadn't noticed him. Leaving the door half-open behind him, Liam approached Orchid as casually as possible, trying to avoid startling her.

"Hey, Orchid," he said when he was about five feet away.

Orchid squealed, dropping her brush and nearly falling over. She jerked the buds out of her ears and stared at Liam with wide-eyed terror.

"Sorry," said Liam. "I really wasn't trying to sneak up on you."

"W-why are you here?" said Orchid in a trembling voice. Liam immediately felt guilty for accidentally terrifying the jumpy freshman.

"I saw the light," Liam explained, picking up Orchid's paintbrush and handing it back to her. "And I was getting bored with Victory Road. Why are you here?"

"I was… uh…"

Orchid glanced shiftily at the easel. Liam noticed for the first time what she was painting—a grotesque and luridly-colored Crobat against a surreal night sky. Liam was no art connoisseur, but he could tell Orchid was a talented artist with a well-developed personal style.

"Wow," said Liam. "You're… that's really cool."

Orchid choked a little.

"Th-thanks," she said.

"Did you stay for the lock-in just so you could use the art room?" asked Liam.

Orchid looked away. With a blush, she put her earbuds back in, dipped her brush in a dark purple paint, and continued to work.

"Is it okay if I watch you?" said Liam. "Watch you paint, I mean, not just watch…"

Orchid gave a very reluctant nod. Liam pulled up a small chair and sat down. Orchid seemed hesitant at first, but she quickly fell back into her own world, humming along with her music as she added new details and touches to her Crobat. Liam admired the effortless skill of her brushstrokes, but he also thought he saw a surprising anger and darkness in the image. The Crobat's teeth and eyes were striking and jagged, making the bat-like Pokemon seem almost monstrous. Liam wondered if he was reading too much into the painting. After all, anyone glancing through his iPod would conclude he was significantly more angry and tortured than he was.

After nearly half an hour, Orchid surveyed her work, gave a half-hearted nod, took out her earbuds, and started cleaning her brushes. The final product was impressive—Liam would've loved to have it for the wall of his room. Orchid, however, showed no sense of pride or achievement, and barely glanced at her own work as she continued to clean up.

"It's really good," said Liam.

"No, it's not," said Orchid.

Her tone was so final and confident that it took Liam by surprise.

"It looks good to me," he insisted.

"Well, you d-don't know anything about art," Orchid retorted bluntly.

Liam couldn't argue with that.

"Are you gonna keep it, then?"

"Of course," said Orchid. "It'd be s-stupid to throw it away."

She finished cleaning her brushes and set them out to dry. Liam was leaning close to the easel, eyeing the texture of the glistening paint on the canvas.

"How long have you been painting?" he asked.

"Uh… I dunno," said Orchid.

Now that he wasn't insisting her art was good, Orchid's defensiveness had melted away and she was back to being timid and anxious. Liam had an idea to bring her out of her shell. Reaching for the first Pokeball on his belt, Liam released his Sneasel, which immediately scrambled up his body and perched itself on his left shoulder.

"You should paint my Sneasel sometime," Liam suggested casually.

Orchid couldn't conceal the sparkle in her eyes as she looked at Sneasel.

"M-maybe," she mumbled.

"You wanna see if he'll be friends again?" asked Liam.

Orchid nodded. Liam lifted Sneasel off his shoulder and set the Pokemon on a nearby table. Orchid approached Sneasel slowly, holding out her left hand for it to sniff.

"He likes you more this time," observed Liam as Sneasel cocked its head at Orchid.

"He's v-very small," said Orchid as she stroked Sneasel's head gingerly. "N-no offense."

"Yeah, he is," said Liam. "I used to think it was just because he was young, but I've had him for… I don't know four or five years now, and he hasn't gotten any bigger."

Sneasel shot a critical glance up at its trainer.

"Oh, don't take it so personally," said Liam. "I swear, I've got a whole team full of high-strung Pokemon now."

Orchid giggled.

"You wanna sit down?" ventured Liam. "You can hold Sneasel if you want."

Orchid nodded, and together they sat down against the wall beneath the art room's whiteboard. Sneasel wouldn't stay in Orchid's lap, but seemed content to cling to her right shoulder and lean against the wall.

"Do you not have art stuff at home?" said Liam, feeling like he should make some conversation.

"N-no," said Orchid, "I…"

She chewed her tongue.

"My… dad doesn't want me to be an artist," she mumbled. "He's a businessman. His company makes… m-makeup and stuff. He wants me to work for him when I grow up."

Liam heard a note of disdain in her voice.

"What about your mom?"

"She lives in Dongzo. She and my dad don't talk very much. I see her sometimes, but… she's difficult."

"Difficult?"

"She thinks everyone is out to g-get her," said Orchid evasively. "Especially me."

"Ah," said Liam.

As a TCK, Liam was more than used to people trotting out their baggage at an early stage. He knew it didn't mean anything—it was just a reality of knowing that anyone could walk in or out of your life at any time. Still, he hoped he wasn't digging too deep with Orchid. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable.

"So how long have you been in Nanzo?" asked Liam, deciding to give Orchid a way out of the topic if she wanted it.

"This is my… fourth year," she said, squinting as she calculated the time in her head. "You j-just came last year, right?"

"Yeah," said Liam. "I was in Johto before that."

"D-do you miss it?"

Liam thought for a moment.

"Yeah. But I miss a lot of things. All things considered, I'm pretty happy with where I am now. I've got good friends, a good school, and the food is pretty good. Not as good as Johto food, but pretty good."

Orchid giggled.

"I think it's easier not to make things complicated," Liam continued. "My home is wherever I happen to be. My best friend is whoever I happen to be with. It doesn't always work—I'm missing my ex-girlfriend a lot right now, and I'm worried that I'm drifting away from one of my best friends here—but it works alright."

"Is your best friend here… Vasilio?" asked Orchid hesitantly.

"Yeah," said Liam. "Well, Vasilio and Mori are my best friends. They're both in… relationship-ish things right now. It's easier with Mori, because she's… well, she's not really supposed to be dating Dustin, so she keeps her distance at school. But I can barely get a minute in with Vasi with Rebecca…"

Liam sighed.

"Sorry," he said. "I probably shouldn't be whining to you about this."

"It's… okay," said Orchid quietly. "I'm your f-friend."

"Good," said Liam. "I need friends."

Sneasel growled contentedly.


	22. Chapter 22

"Heheheh."

Liam jerked awake. It was early morning—a pink and orange glow flooded the art room—but it took Liam a moment to work out where he was and why he was there. Orchid Ng was sleeping soundly on his shoulder, his Sneasel curled in her lap. Taylor was standing over them with a wide grin.

"Oh, young love," said Taylor wistfully. "You two are lucky it was me who found you and not Christine."

"More like young tiredness," said Liam, rubbing his eyes. "What time is it?"

"A little after five," said Taylor. "How long have you two been cuddling on the floor?"

Taylor nudged Orchid with his foot. Orchid groaned, blinked up at Taylor, and gave a frightened squeak. She scrambled to her feet with a look of terror in her eyes, sending Liam's Sneasel tumbling to the floor.

"T-Taylor!" she stammered. "I… I…"

"Dang, you move quick, Orchid," said Taylor teasingly. "You at least could have told me something."

Orchid's face had gone so red Liam could have mistaken it for a medical emergency. She looked like she was about to run.

"Taylor, we weren't cuddling," said Liam, determined to defuse the situation before Orchid lost her head completely. "We were just talking and it was late and we fell asleep."

"Hey, Orchid," said Taylor, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I'm kidding. Don't worry about it. Weird stuff happens at lock-ins. People fall asleep in all kinds of weird places. Arthur's asleep on top of the middle school lockers right now. I'm going to wake him up next."

Orchid smiled despite herself, and she appeared to calm down. She still clearly found the entire situation very embarrassing, and she carefully avoided Liam's eyes as they collected their things and followed Taylor to the middle school lockers on the third floor. Sure enough, Arthur Liu was curled up on top of them, dozing peacefully with one leg dangling off the side.

"Wake up, sleeping prince," said Taylor, rattling the lockers.

"Go away," moaned Arthur.

"I'm comin' back with Liz and she won't be nice," said Taylor. "Last chance."

Arthur waved them away. Taylor shrugged, tossed his long black hair, and beckoned for them to follow him downstairs. They found most of the high school gathered at folding tables in the atrium, enjoying an eclectic breakfast of eggs, bacon, baozi, rice porridge, and—to Liam's amazement—erkuai.

"How did they get erkuai?" asked Liam as he snatched one each of the sweet peanut and spicy varieties.

"I have connections," said Sylvia. "Being a local has its perks."

Although Arthur and Sylvia were both Unovan citizens, their parents were from Nanzo—their father, Mr. Liu, was Everspring City's police commissioner, while their mother's family had founded one of the most successful companies in Nanzo, taking advantage of the economic liberalization that began with the region's opening to the world three decades ago.

"I didn't see you at the dance party," said Vasilio, nudging Liam with his shoulder.

The dark circles around Vasilio's bloodshot eyes told Liam he hadn't slept a wink.

"Yeah, I was asleep," said Liam with a yawn. "I wish I was still asleep."

Liam, Vasilio, Taylor, and Orchid found an empty table and settled down to enjoy their breakfast. They were joined shortly by Rebecca, who looked decidedly grouchy with her black hair tied up in a very messy bun, and Liz, who was laughing to herself.

"That idiot," she said, taking the seat across from Taylor. "How did he even get up there?"

"Arthur is a man of many talents," said Taylor, taking a bite of his erkuai. "One of them is sleepin' in high and uncomfortable places."

"I'm gonna have my Heracross blast him with Bullet Seed if he's not up by six," said Liz. "But I guess I'll let him sleep. For now."

Liam snorted and took another bite of his erkuai. In the seat next to him, Orchid was still avoiding his gaze.

"You alright?" he asked.

"...yeah," Orchid mumbled.

Liam wondered what was bothering her so much. Sure, falling asleep side by side had been a little embarrassing, but Taylor was right—weird things happened at lock-ins. At least they hadn't fallen asleep on top of the middle school lockers.

"When do we get to go home?" asked Liam.

"Seven," said Vasilio. "Anyone got an Electric-type? I need a wake-up jolt."

The mention of Electric-types would have turned Liam's thoughts to Cass, but at that moment two unexpected people took the remaining seats at their table.

"Hey, Taylor," said Dustin in a raspy voice.

Annalise, Dustin's second-in-command within the small clique he led, sat down next to him.

"Hey, man," said Taylor. "Where've you been?"

Dustin mimed taking a long puff on a cigarette. Taylor gave a forced snort, but Orchid's eyes glittered as she gazed at the cool, rule-breaking senior. Liam understood why Orchid, and Mori, and so many others found Dustin so entrancing. He was quiet and, despite his prominent slouch, confident, with curly, reddish hair and dark freckles. His dark eyes projected a detached intelligence, as if he were too good for everyone and everything around him. A slight smirk always played around his lips, as if there were some joke only he and his crew were in on. He wore thick, black studs in both ears.

"This whole night's been so boring," said Annalise in her emotionless deadpan. "At least they finally gave us something edible."

Annalise had long hair like Orchid's, only her's was brown and parted down the middle. Her staring brown eyes and sallow face revealed as little as her tone of voice, but her mouth seemed to hint at the same big in-joke that Dustin's did.

"You think everything's boring, Annalise," said Taylor through a mouth full of bean sprout and rice cake.

"Did you call Mori?" asked Vasilio abruptly.

Dustin shrugged.

"She didn't call me," he said dismissively, "So I assume she's fine."

Vasilio scowled, but a meaningful glance from Taylor told him to drop the subject.

* * *

"Where were you all night, bro?"

Liam turned to see Marsha and Chelsea hobbling together out of the school gate, looking like participants in a three-legged race for tired people. They wobbled slightly as they walked, clinging to each other and resting their heads on each others' shoulders.

"Asleep," said Liam. "Like a sane person. What about you?"

"We ate, we fought, we danced, we sang…" chanted Marsha wearily.

"We died," added Chelsea.

Liam chuckled. He decided to slow down so the 9th grade girls could catch up with him.

"Ooh, are you escorting us to the bus stop?" said Marsha punchily. "What a fine gentleman."

"I'm just worried you two'll get on the wrong bus and end up in Jadetower," Liam protested. "Seriously, you're walking proof that staying up all night isn't a good idea."

"But we had a good time," said Chelsea. "Unlike you."

"Who said I didn't have a good time?" said Liam.

"Well, did you?"

Liam shrugged.

"I got to hang out with Orchid a bit. That was cool."

"Ooooh," said the girls in unison.

"Oh, are you two going to interrogate me about Orchid at our next study session?" said Liam, rolling his eyes.

"Maybe," said Marsha.

Liam knew that meant yes.


	23. Chapter 23

"Here it is," said Sylvia, holding up a blue flyer decorated with snowflakes. "Liz did a good job."

It was Monday, and Liam and Vasilio were spending their morning break in Miss Snyder's office, where Sylvia and Ruth were busy with some kind of student government business.

"What is it?" asked Liam.

"We're adding a Winter Ball this year—by popular demand," explained Sylvia.

"Meaning?" said Vasilio.

"It is just like Spring Banquet," said Ruth, "except it is in the winter."

"And girls invite guys," added Sylvia, pinning the flyer to Miss Snyder's noticeboard.

Liam gave a start.

"Sorry, what?" said Vasilio, sounding a little incredulous.

"It's like a Sadie Hawkins dance," said Sylvia.

"That was also by popular demand," said Miss Snyder, who was filling out paperwork at her desk. "Very popular demand."

"But wait," said Liam, "With the 9th grade, the secondary has a huge imbalance of guys and girls now. It's almost two-to-one."

"Methinks the Liam doth protest too much," grinned Sylvia.

"The odds aren't in our favor either way," said Vasilio, flicking Liam on the shoulder. "So Sylv, since this is probably your bright idea, who are you gonna ask?"

"One," said Sylvia, adjusting her round glass, "It wasn't my bright idea, it was Cass McCloud's bright idea. Two, your peers voted in favor of this bright idea by a huge majority, so don't blame me for what the people chose."

"I don't remember being consulted about this," grumbled Liam.

"It was before your time," said Sylvia. "You guys really need to chill out. Think about how we feel at every other dance."

"Yes," said Ruth, nodding vigorously, "Think about that."

Liam sighed. He couldn't think of anyone at the school that would ask him to Winter Ball now that Cass was gone.

"Pin these up on the bulletin boards," said Sylvia, handing a stack of flyers to Ruth. "Liam, Vasilio, you up for some grunt work?"

"I'm on break," said Liam flatly. "What about you, Vasi?"

"Also very much on break," Vasilio concurred.

"Suit yourself," said Sylvia.

She left the office with another stack of blue flyers.

"You two need a behavioral adjustment," said Miss Snyder. "And yes, Liam, that is my professional opinion."

"Put it on our transcripts, Christine," said Vasilio dryly.

"You don't even have a good reason to complain," Miss Snyder pointed out. "Either Rebecca will have asked you before the end of August or I don't have profound insights into the emotional lives of adolescents."

"She's got a point, Vasi," said Liam. "Your odds of getting a date are pretty good. I, on the other hand, have every right to complain."

"Remind me to add 'tends toward self-pity' to your student folder, Liam," said Miss Snyder, finishing the form she was working on and filing it away in her desk.

"It's not self-pity, Christine, it's realism," said Liam. "Unless you know something I don't."

"Oh, I know lots of things that you don't," said Miss Snyder, tapping her freckled nose sagely. "But I don't interfere in the personal lives of students on principle. I can neither confirm nor deny that anyone at this school is interested or has ever been interested in anyone at any time… ever."

"I'm afraid her disclaimer is bulletproof, Liam," said Vasi with a laugh. "Come on, let's get to Math."

They both got up to leave.

"Liam," said Miss Snyder, "have some optimism."

She winked.

"Thanks, Christine," said Liam.

"Oh, and give girls a reason to like you," Miss Snyder added. "Nobody is entitled to a date. It's vicious out there."

"Be optimistic, but also vicious," said Liam. "Got it."

Miss Snyder gave a sarcastic thumbs up and returned to her paperwork.

* * *

Despite the added anxiety of Winter Ball hanging over his head, Liam quickly settled into a familiar routine. While his fears that Vasilio was slipping away from him (and toward Rebecca) never really left him, Liam spent enough time with Vasi and Mori during the day to hold on to that old sense of belonging and camaraderie he first started feeling last year. Apart from Coach Tang's Chemistry class—which continued to be an aggravating joke—Liam looked forward to his classes. His study sessions with Marsha and Chelsea were actually helping him to improve in Werner's Advanced Tactics class, and Liam felt a hint of pride every time he answered a question that stumped Sylvia or Ruth. While Professor Werner remained as critical as ever during Team Virtue meetings on Thursdays, Liam found fulfillment in training the younger students, and especially Orchid.

It took Orchid Ng about a week to get over her embarrassment at falling asleep on Liam's shoulder, but when she did, Liam found that he had made a breakthrough with her. She was still timid, and still spoke in a barely-audible mumble in the presence of teachers and older students, but Liam began to see why Taylor had introduced her as his "protege''. Orchid could be sarcastic and cutting—especially about the more popular students in school—and she held very few of the teachers in high regard. She was particularly bitter over the lack of art classes in the 9th grade schedule—high schoolers at Everspring couldn't choose electives until they got two years of Tactics and Pokemon Breeding out of the way.

"I need to practice," she complained as she sat beside Liam in math class. "If I don't have a p-portfolio, I'm screwed."

Liam thought Orchid's collection of paintings and sketches she kept tucked away in Miss Snyder's office was already very impressive, but Orchid brushed off his compliments.

"You don't know what you're t-talking about," she said every time he expressed appreciation for an impressive doodle or preliminary sketch.

Liam granted he wasn't an art expert, but even he could tell that Orchid had the artistic chops to make it as a Pokemon watcher or even a graphic designer or caricaturist, but Orchid was aiming higher. She wanted to go to art school. Liam got the sense that neither of her parents supported this potential career path.

* * *

The sudden announcement of the Winter Ball put more than a little pressure on the girls of Everspring International Pokemon Academy. Even Orchid seemed to have some plan in the works, and Marsha and Chelsea were even more off-topic than usual in their study sessions.

"Liam, who should Chelsea ask to Winter Ball?" said Marsha.

Liam peered suspiciously over his textbook.

"I feel like this is a trick," he said.

"How could this be a trick, bro?" said Chelsea with a grin. "I'm just looking for advice."

"My advice is to memorize Hidden Abilities, because Werner loves to throw those into short answer questions," said Liam.

Chelsea looked a little disappointed that he hadn't played along. Liam had a suspicion the girls wanted him to volunteer himself—mainly so they could laugh at him for doing so. There were worse things than going with Chelsea to Winter Ball, but one of them was feeling like a fool. He didn't like to think about the field day Mori would've had about his "girl craziness" if Liam had said anything.

Exactly a week after the flyers for Winter Ball went up, Liam found Orchid hard at work in the art room after school. She turned her easel away from him as he approached, which only increased his curiosity.

"Whatcha workin' on?" said Liam innocently.

"...you'll find out tomorrow," said Orchid.

Her tone made it clear he wasn't going to get a peek. Sure enough, Liam found out exactly what Orchid had been working on the next day at break. Liam spotted Taylor taking a colorful painting of an Exploud off the front of his locker. He examined it, sighed, and glanced around, clearly wondering if Orchid was nearby. On cue, Orchid popped out of a nearby classroom and shuffled up to Taylor, her eyes fixed on her shoes.

"...Did you read it?" she said in a very small voice.

"Yeah," said Taylor.

His voice was as casual as always, but Liam thought he looked deeply uncomfortable. He could already tell what the answer would be.

"Hey, Orchid," said Taylor. "You know, I… it was really nice of you to ask me. And… I wish I could say yes. It's just… Rosaline asked me already. And I told her I'd go with her. I'm really sorry."

Orchid's face went even redder than it had the morning of the lock-in.

"You should probably take this back," Taylor continued, offering her the painting. "I'd feel bad to take something so pretty after I said no."

Orchid hands trembled as she received the painting from Taylor.

"Sorry," he said again.

"It's… okay," Orchid mumbled.

Still grasping the painting, Orchid bolted away. She nearly clocked Marsha as she scrampered down the main stairs. Liam suspected she was headed for the art room.

"Crap," said Taylor with a sigh.

He noticed Liam staring at him.

"Can you go, uh, check on her?" he said.

"Sure," said Liam.

Taylor sighed again.

"That girl has the worst luck," he said to himself as he pulled his backpack over his shoulder and started towards Professor Wort's science room. Liam waited until the halls were empty before following Orchid down the main stairs to the second floor.

* * *

Even if Liam hadn't known where Orchid was running to, he would've found an easy trail to follow. Ripped pieces of the Exploud painting led him to the hall outside the art room, where Orchid was curled up besides the cubbies where the elementary students left their backpacks. There was a class of 4th graders doing clay modelling inside. After collecting the scattered pieces, Liam slid down beside Orchid. At first, Liam thought she was crying—he quickly realized, however, that she was pulling at her hair and twisting her hands in rage.

"That slut," she spat. "She doesn't care about him. She's just using him b-because she knows he…"

She shuddered. Liam was more than a little taken aback. He knew Orchid had a bitter streak, but to hear her unloading on Rosaline—a friendly (if rather quirky and unusual) junior that obviously liked Taylor a lot—was unexpected, and it unnerved him.

"She doesn't deserve him," Orchid raged. "She's so... shallow. She doesn't understand what it's like to be…"

"An artist?" asked Liam.

Orchid nodded. She was chewing her tongue savagely, clawing at her jeans.

Suddenly, it all clicked. Orchid loved Taylor—Taylor the musician, that is. She saw in him someone else dedicated to their art—someone who could understand her feelings, if he would only notice her. To Taylor, by contrast, she was a protege—a young outsider he was guiding along. There were a lot of younger students that looked up to Taylor. He was undeniably cool, with his long, black hair, laid-back attitude, and quick wit. I Am Munchlax was, so far as Liam knew, the only band in the school, meaning they found themselves performing in some capacity at nearly every school event. Orchid had probably been watching him for years, gazing in awe at the one member of the band (besides, at times, Vasilio) that truly took the art of rock seriously. Taylor was I Am Munchlax's lead songwriter and most skilled musician. He was the one that bullied the other band members into practicing on weekends—the one who developed the band's "street songs" mythos. The band was, at bottom, his creation.

He was certainly an artist. But Liam wondered how well Orchid really knew him.

"I'm sorry," said Liam. "I could tell he really wanted to say yes. I—."

They heard the light patter of pawed feet approaching. Liam leaned around the cubbies and saw a Simipour moseying jovially down the hall.

"Oh, you," said Liam. "Did Taylor send you?"

Simipour nodded and gave Liam an enthusiastic thumbs up. Liam rolled his eyes. He had dealt with Taylor's Simipour before, and he knew what to expect.

"Are you looking for Orchid?"

Simipour mimed giving an affectionate hug. Orchid leaned forward, and before Liam could react, Simipour had dived at her, pulling Orchid into a hug so aggressive it looked like a wrestling pin.

"Gahh—!" Orchid choked.

Liam moved to free Orchid from Taylor's over-enthusiastic Pokemon, but then he realized she was laughing. The anger had passed so suddenly it was hard to believe it had ever been there, and Orchid was grinning as she struggled with Simipour.

"Get off," she giggled. "I'm okay! I promise!"

Simipour grabbed Orchid's cheeks and forced her face into a frown.

"I'm not sad," Orchid insisted. "I'll be okay. Tell Taylor I—."

Simipour blasted Orchid with a Water Gun attack at point-blank range. With a mischievous cackle, the monkeyish Pokemon tumbled away, stuck its tongue out at Orchid, and sprinted away down the hall.

"Get back here, you jerk!" shouted Orchid, and she took off after Simipour.

Liam was left alone outside the art room, holding the pieces of Orchid's painting in his hands. He smiled to himself. Though she didn't realize it, Orchid was lucky to have been turned down by Taylor. He wasn't going to let it ruin their friendship. Liam looked wistfully at the torn fragments, wondering vaguely if it were possible to reassemble them. Suddenly, it hit him.

He was ten minutes late for Professor Alexander's Geometry class.

Liam scrambled to his feet, stuffed the pieces of Orchid's painting into his canvas bag, and sprinted back in the direction of the main stairs.


	24. Chapter 24

"Aw, crap."

Mori stopped and scowled up at the high school announcements board as Liam skidded to a halt to avoid crashing into her.

"What?" said Liam.

"They brought it back," said Mori mysteriously. "I was hoping it was gone for good."

"What was gone for good?" asked Liam, looking over Mori's shoulder curiously.

"Hey, they're bringing back Fall Camp," said Vasilio eagerly, who was leaning over Mori's other shoulder. "They haven't had that since—."

"7th grade," said Mori darkly.

"Something else for me to worry about?" asked Liam.

"Nah," said Vasilio. "It's exactly what it sounds like. Last time we went about an hour outside of town and just camped out. The Pokemon loved it—I'd go again just for that. Spending a night outside of their Pokeballs and away from the pollution is a nice change. Mori, uh… didn't have a good time."

"Claire?" asked Liam.

Mori nodded.

"But you should totally come," Vasilio continued. "Bring some Pokeballs. If nothing else, you might catch something rare. Trust me, you'll have fun."

"I'll… think about it," said Liam evasively.

Vasilio looked disappointed.

"I really might go," said Liam apologetically. "I'm just… not sure."

"You guys have fun, then," said Mori bitterly.

She had a dour expression on her face, and she was carefully avoiding Vasilio's gaze.

"Mori, come on," said Vasilio, furrowing his brow. "Ask your dad if you can go. He's got nothing to hold against you this year—he's got no excuse."

"You make it sound like it's my fault I'm not allowed to have fun," Mori muttered.

"It's not," said Vasilio firmly. "I'm just trying to help you play by your dad's rules because that's what you're stuck with. Seriously, ask him. I will bet you a week's worth of erkuai that he'll say yes."

Mori's eyes lit up at this offer.

"I'll hold you to that," Mori said seriously.

"I'll make it even more interesting," said Liam. "If Mori's dad says she can go, I'll go."

"Fine, fine," said Mori. "Come on, Shrike needs to bore us to death in Unovan History, and I'm running out of tardies."

Liam smiled to himself at Mori's sudden eagerness. He had to give Vasi credit—sometimes, he had exactly the rights words for their mutual friend.

* * *

"What about Ruth Kong?"

"Marsha, I promise whether or not I like Ruth Kong isn't on Werner's next test."

Marsha gave a disappointed scowl and propped her textbook up on her knees. Chelsea snickered.

"And don't tell me I dodged the question," Liam added. "Because I did. Ruth is off-limits for joking around. She's too pure. Plus, I'm pretty sure she's only into guys from Ferrum."

Liam reached into his canvas bag and pulled out his class notebook.

"Are you going to the Fall Camp?" asked Marsha innocently.

"Also not on the next test," said Liam. "And I don't know. It depends on… things. I might just stay home and sulk. That sounds more fun than camping."

"Bro, don't trainers have to walk from town to town in Johto?" said Chelsea. "That's gotta involve camping."

"There's a reason my first badge was in Nanzo," Liam muttered. "Alright, Arena Trap. What are the workarounds?"

"Baton Pass," began Marsha automatically. "Parting Shot, U-Turn, and Volt Switch."

"Battle camp comes through again," said Liam with a smirk. "And in alphabetical order, too. What did she leave out, Chez?"

Chelsea fidgeted with a strand of her curly red hair.

"...Flying types?"

"Yes," said Liam. "Also Ghost types. And Pokemon that float. Not that you can really prepare for it. Once you're trapped, you're trapped… A lesson I've learned the hard way."

The girls glanced at each other deviously.

"I believe you enjoy our company very much," said Marsha in her usual matter-of-fact way. "Which means you must be in love with one of us. I think you are infatuated with Chelsea, and Chelsea thinks you are madly in love with me."

"Could we have a conversation that passes the Bechdel test at least once?" said Liam. "

"I don't know what that means," said Marsha blankly.

"Yeah, I can tell," said Liam.

Chelsea gave an exasperated groan.

"Calculating Hidden Powers is so hard," she said, "Liam, can you check my answers?"

"Sure," said Liam. "It's not my strong suit, either, but I can make sure your equations are right."

Chelsea tossed her notebook carelessly in Liam's general direction.

"Thanks," said Liam sarcastically, leaning over to scoop up the notebook from the pavement.

As he flipped through the pages in search of Chelsea's homework, he spotted something that startled him.

"What… is this?" said Liam.

"Oh, that," said Chelsea. "Yeah, that's… I've just…"

It was a two-page spread listing nearly every student in the secondary, along with extensive annotations on each. There were personality traits, relationships, Pokemon teams, phone numbers, addresses, birthdays—an effective encyclopedia of nosiness. Liam noticed that certain names had large black dots next to them.

"What do the dots mean?" asked Liam seriously.

Chelsea wound a strand of red hair around her finger and gave an apologetic smile.

"It's nothing," she said, very unconvincingly. "Really."

Scanning the page, Liam tried to discern a pattern of some kind.

"Are these… you're trying to figure out who sent the note," said Liam. "These are your suspects, right?"

"Liam," said Marsha. "Please return Chelsea's notebook at once."

Liam ignored her. He was searching for his own name, running his index finger down the length of the page.

"Some of your suspects are pretty far fetched, Chez," said Liam. "Like, I can't stand Adam Choi either, but I don't think that makes him…"

He found his own name at the bottom of the second page.

"So you don't think I'm a Team Power spy," said Liam, snapping the notebook shut and passing it back to Chelsea, who snatched it from him and stuffed it into her backpack at once. "That's good. I'd be a little offended if you did, to be honest."

"I'm not an idiot, bro," said Chelsea sullenly. "I know you wouldn't…"

"So, what's your plan," said Liam. "I mean, when you find out who the person sending the notes is, what are you gonna do? Kick their ass?"

Chelsea looked a little shocked.

"No," she said earnestly. "I'd just… ask them why."

Liam blinked.

"You're not out for revenge?"

"No," said Chelsea. "I'm… I mean, I hate Team Power. They're horrible. I hope they never take over Nanzo. But… I'm not a vindictive person. If I thought someone was working for Team Power, I'd want to… I dunno, understand."

Liam sniffed.

"Is that what you'd say to Jiu?" he said abruptly. "You'd ask that piece of human filth why he killed your Pokemon? Because I can tell you why he did it. He did it for fun. Because he's scum."

Liam realized that both of the girls were staring at him, and instantly felt ashamed. He had just taken the worst moments in Chelsea's life and beat over the head with them to prove a point. He half-expected Chelsea and Marsha to storm away there and then, and he knew he would have deserved it if they did. But instead, Chelsea gave a sympathetic sigh.

"I don't know what I'd do if I met Jiu again," said Chelsea. "But… I think I could do it. I think I could tell him I forgave him and ask him why he did it. If I don't treat him like a person… I mean, what good am I?"

They were all silent for a moment.

"Sorry," said Liam, standing up. "I shouldn't have said any of that. I need to go."

"See you tomorrow, bro," said Chelsea.

Her voice hurt, but still kind. Liam could only nod.

* * *

From:VengeanceOfSneasel

To:CassInTheCleods91

Cass,

Chelsea said something today that reminded me of you. It made me think of how you always saw the best in everyone—how you gave them the benefit of the doubt whether they deserved it or not. I wish I was like that. I wish I wasn't so judgemental and angry. I never understood why you wanted to be with someone like me. I'm glad you did, though.

Have you ever listened to Regina Spektor? She reminds me of you too, but in a different way. This is my favorite song of hers. I hope you like it.

Love,

Liam

File Attachment:ReginaSpektor_Fidelity_mp3


	25. Chapter 25

"Well?" prompted Vasilio.

Mori sighed, gave a resigned shrug, then grinned at him.

"He said I can go," said Mori.

"See," Vasi laughed, flicking Mori on the shoulder. "You should listen to me more often. Do you have the permission slip?

Mori held up a crumpled piece of paper.

"Well, give it to Christine," Vasi urged. "Liam, where's yours? You're roped in too, now."

"I noticed," said Liam. "I'll turn mine in tomorrow."

"Don't forget," said Mori, nudging Liam with her shoulder. "I'm not losing this bet alone."

They arrived at the high school lockers. As Liam dug through his papers to find his literature textbook, Chelsea Whitaker had just finished taking out her books for Werner's Tactics class. After the previous afternoon, he decided to see whether things would go back to normal.

"Good luck on the test," he said timidly.

"Thanks," said Chelsea.

If she was thinking of Liam's insensitive words from the day before, she didn't show it. She appeared just as Chelsea-ish as ever.

"Hey, you three look excited," Chelsea, noticing the way Mori was fidgeting with the drawstrings of Vasilio's hoodie. "Did you get an email back, Mori?"

Mori stared blankly back at her.

"What do you mean?" Mori asked.

Her voice was suddenly cold and abrasive.

"From the orphanage in Hoenn," said Chelsea, "I thought you said you sent them an email about your sis—."

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Mori.

Her tone was so final that even Chelsea understood the subject was closed. Liam glanced at Vasilio uncomfortably.

"C'mon," said Vasilio, "We're gonna be late for Rollon."

Mori was dour and silent as they half-jogged to Rollon's Lit classroom. As they sat down and started on the bellwork, Liam leaned over to Mori.

"Are you okay?" Liam whispered.

"Don't worry about it," said Mori.

* * *

When the bell rang at the end of first period, Mori began packing her things so rapidly Liam knew she had her mind set on something.

"Are you really sure you—?" Liam began, but Mori had already snatched up her Gengar-themed backpack and bolted for the door.

"What's up with her?" Liam whispered to Vasilio.

Vasilio ran his left hand through his hair uncomfortably.

"I dunno," he said. "I gotta talk to Rollon about something. Keep an eye on her until next class, okay? I'll catch up as soon as I can."

"Got it," said Liam.

It took Liam a few moments to catch sight of Mori again, but by standing on tip-top he spotted her at the far end of the hall, heading towards the secondary lockers. Liam pushed his way through the passing students in a vain attempt to catch up with her. By the time Liam finally escaped the rush of students leaving their first period classes, it was already too late. Mori had pounced on Chez Whitaker as she passed by, grabbing her by both arms and jerking her in the alcove where the stairs and lockers met. Liam couldn't tell what they were saying, but he was sure that intervening would be a dangerous move. He approached as casually as possible, pretending like he was just putting away his own things after the last class.

"Stop spying on me," Liam heard Mori snarl.

She was looking at Chelsea with undisguised anger. Her fists were clenched, and she was baring her teeth.

"I'm not spying on you," protested Chelsea, looking a little scared.

"Shut up!" spat Mori, "I don't know how you found out about my sister, but it's none of your business, so back off."

"You told me," said Chelsea, "I didn't—."

"You liar!"

Mori shoved Chelsea against lockers. Chelsea recoiled, closing her eyes and holding her hands up defensively. Liam froze. He had never seen Mori like this, and he felt completely helpless to stop her or help Chelsea. A crowd of students was gathering to watch the fight.

"Stay away from me!" shouted Mori. "I'll—."

"Mori!"

Mori spun around to find herself face to face with Vasilio. He was looking more serious than Liam had ever seen him. His face was just inches away from Mori's.

"Stay out of this, Vasi," she said, but Vasilio was undeterred.

"Leave Chez alone," he said firmly.

"She's been spying on me!" shouted Mori, "She—"

"I don't care," said Vasilio, "Let's go."

Mori stared furiously at Vasilio. Behind her, Chelsea was cowering against the lockers. Her whole body was trembling. Mori took a deep breath.

"Okay," said Mori.

She glanced back at Chelsea, who winced.

"Come on, Mori," said Liam, deciding now this was the best moment to come in on Vasilio's side.

Mori nodded and followed them away from the lockers. The other students rushed to help Chelsea to her feet. Liam heard her starting to sob. It was a sound he hadn't heard in a long time.

Not since last spring.

"I can't believe you did that," said Vasilio. His voice was calm, but cold.

"She's been spying on me!" began Mori, but Vasilio cut her off.

"Think about what you just did," he said, "And to who. Think about what that reminded her of."

Mori stopped dead. Liam could feel Mori's anger swelling again as palpably as heat radiating from a furnace. She grabbed Vasilio by the jacket and pulled him around.

"Don't you dare," she said, her voice trembling with rage, "Don't you ever compare me to them!"

Liam heard someone following them down the hall. It was Miss Snyder. She looked angry—something Liam had never seen before.

"Grace Shaw," she said.

Her voice was steady, but deadly serious.

"Come with me."

Mori looked angrily at Vasilio for a moment before letting him go and following Miss Snyder away.

"She's gonna be in so much trouble," whispered Liam.

"I know," said Vasilio.

As Mori and Miss Snyder disappeared from sight, Vasilio visibly relaxed.

"I can't believe she did that," he said, "She was doing so good this year. What brought that on?"

"Something about her sister," said Liam, "I think she's been trying to find her, and Chez found out about it somehow. Didn't you hear her asking Mori about it this morning?"

"Yeah, I heard her," said Vasilio. "I thought she was just fishing. How could she find out about something like that? I didn't even know about it."

Liam shrugged.

"Maybe she was spying," said Liam, "Chez is pretty nosy. But she said Mori told her about it. She seemed really confident."

"That's weird," said Vasilio, rubbing his forehead in agitation, "Like, really weird."

"Should I ask Chez about it?"

Vasilio shook his head.

"Not yet," he said, "Just check if she's okay. I've gotta go back to the Lit room—I left my backpack. I had an intuition something was about to go down as soon as I sent you after her."

"Good thing you did," said Liam. "You're a lot better at handling Mori than I am. I just… I didn't know what to do."

"Yeah, well you weren't the only one," said Vasilio, sounding a little annoyed. "That's gotta be the first fight at Everspring in years."

"It wasn't much of a fight," said Liam. "More like Mori just went completely ballistic. I've never seen her like that, but… I'm guessing you have."

"Yeah," said Vasilio wearily. "A few times. Not since middle school, though."

They stood in silence for a moment.

"I'm… gonna go check on Chez," said Liam. "Will you tell Professor Huang..?"

"Yeah, no problem," said Vasilo. "She'll understand."

Vasilio laid a hand reassuringly on Liam's shoulder and left for Rollon's classroom. Liam hesitated for a moment, wondering where he should even start looking for Chelsea. After weighing his options, Liam set out for the guidance counselor's office. It was a guess, but it was the best one Liam had, and as he peeked through the window in Miss Snyder's door, Liam saw that his guess had been good.

"Hi Chez," began Liam awkwardly, "I—."

"Why was she mad at me?" interrupted Chelsea, "I don't understand."

She was still clearly rattled. The mascara around her eyes was smeared and smudged, and she was pacing the tiny office without looking at Liam.

"Mori is really… secretive," said Liam cautiously.

"I wasn't spying," continued Chelsea as if she hadn't heard Liam at all, "She told me. I'm sure she did."

"Chez," said Liam, "I'm not trying to defend Mori for acting like that, but… why would she have told you that? I didn't even know she was looking for her sister."

Chelsea stopped pacing.

"I don't know," she said, "But I wasn't spying on her. I know everyone thinks I'm—I'm really n-nosy, but… I promise I wasn't."

Before Liam knew what was happening, he was stroking Chelsea's thick red hair as she sobbed into his shoulder.

"I believe you," said Liam soothingly, "Chez, I believe you."

Torn between comforting his friend and not wanting to be found hugging a female student in the guidance counselor's office, Liam ushered Chelsea onto Miss Snyder's squishy sofa and handed her the tissue box from the coffee table.

"Hey, uh… I hope I'm not being weird, but… you can hold my, uh, Espeon—if you want."

Chelsea wiped her eyes and cocked her head at Liam.

"Sorry!" said Liam apologetically. "It's just whenever… well, my limited experience tells me girls like to hold soft Pokemon when they're upset, but if you don't—."

"It's fine, bro," smiled Chelsea. "I… you're sweet. You can… sure."

Liam fumbled with the Pokeballs on his belt and released his Espeon onto the coffee table. For a moment, Chelsea and Espeon stared at each other, as if neither was sure what to make of the other. Then, with a small mew, Espeon climbed into Chelsea's lap and nuzzled its fuzzy head against hers.

"Bro, I thought you said your Espeon was a jerk," said Chelsea. "He's really cute!"

Chelsea stroked Espeon's purple fur as the Pokemon purred loudly.

"He is a jerk," said Liam. "To everyone but you, I guess."

The door to the office opened.

"Oh, good, you're both here," said Miss Snyder. "That'll make this easier."

She closed the door to the office and started rummaging through her filing cabinet. Liam and Chelsea glanced at each other in confusion.

"Incident report," said Miss Snyder, slapping a piece of paper in front of each of them. "Fill it out quick so I can get it back down to Ms. Kahakai."

Liam frowned.

"Will what I write affect what happens to Mori?"

"Probably not," said Miss Snyder. "But you should be honest either way."

Liam sighed and began filling in his personal information at the top of the page. Beside him, Chelsea sucked anxiously on her pen, staring at the incident report as Espeon purred in her lap.

"Do I have to?" Chelsea asked Miss Snyder.

"Yes," said Miss Snyder, who was busy filling out her own paperwork. "Neither of you are doing Grace Shaw any favors by not filling those out."

"Dang it," whined Chelsea. "I don't like getting people in trouble."

"You're not getting anyone in trouble," said Miss Snyder firmly. "Now hurry up. You two are both missing class."

* * *

Liam and Vasilio found Mori standing sullenly by the gate as they were heading out to lunch. She had her backpack on her shoulder and she was hugging a folder full of assignments to her chest.

"So what happened?" asked Vasilio.

"Suspended," said Mori brusquely.

Liam and Vasilio glanced at each other in alarm.

"For how long?"

"Doesn't matter," Mori mumbled.

She looked thoroughly defeated. It hurt Liam to see her like this—resigned to her status as an irredeemable screw-up.

"Is your dad coming?" asked Vasilio.

Mori nodded. There didn't seem to be anything else to say.

"So," ventured Liam, "about your, uh, your sister…"

Vasilio elbowed Liam in the stomach, but Mori merely shrugged.

"I guess if Chelsea knows it doesn't matter if you do too. I found the orphanage in Hoenn where my parents adopted me. It's still there, so I emailed them. I asked them if they knew anything about my sister."

"And did they?" Liam asked.

Mori nodded.

"I learned her name for the first time. It's Fumiko. The lady who emailed me wasn't even supposed to tell me that, so I didn't find out much else."

"Did they say where she is now?" asked Vasilio.

"Not… specifically," said Mori evasively.

"What does that mean?"

"She's in institutional care," said Mori. "I guess that means she's still in Hoenn. And it means either my parents lied to me about her being adopted or the orphanage lied to my parents. I dunno which."

"That's good, though, right?" said Liam bracingly. "You know her name, and where she is, and that you can probably find her someday."

"Yeah," said Mori glumly.

There was another awkward pause.

"You two need to eat," said Mori at last.

"Yeah," said Liam. "Sorry."

"Don't be," said Mori. "It's my fault. Everything is… my fault."

Liam gave Mori a sympathetic smile. Vasilio, however, put his arms around Mori and held her tight. To Liam's amazement, Mori didn't struggle or protest. She closed her eyes and leaned against Vasilio, savoring the moment.

"It'll be okay," said Vasilio as he released her.

"What do you know?" said Mori dismissively.

Liam noticed that she was barely repressing a grin.


	26. Chapter 26

From: CassInTheCleods91

To:VengeanceOfSneasel

Subject: So….

Liam,

I hate to be the one to bring this up, but… it's probably better if we don't use terms like "love" when we email each other. It's not that I don't… well, we shouldn't encourage feelings that can't go anywhere.

Sorry to start off so awkward.

If I know anything about you, then you're angry because something is wrong and you want it to be right. That's a good thing. Well, it's not good to be angry. But I think what you really want is for people to do the right thing, and I, well, I like that about you, and I think other people should too.

I feel like I'm already not following my own advice. Oh well.

I went to Pinwheel Forest with some new friends from school last week. I managed to catch something I've wanted my whole life: a Whimsicott! It's so adorably fluffy. It reminds me of your Eevee. Unovan public school is really, really easy, by the way. I'm only taking honors classes and I'm still not challenged, like, at all. It makes me miss the teachers and classes at Everspring.

It's not all bad, though—I'm actually having a really good time! I really like my friends in Castelia. I've gotten a lot of badges and I'm keeping up with my plan to get them all before I graduate. The Unova League is pretty serious—I've been watching some of the champion's matches on TV, and she's tough! I think she'd make Silas sweat a little, even though she's younger than me.

Oh, and the food is so goooood. I'm getting fat on Unovan pizza, and I don't care.

I've been seeing the therapist a lot more about my cerebral palsy. It's really made me realize how much I was just coping back in Nanzo. I've gone back to using orthotics, which is super uncomfortable, but I can tell they're helping. I can't believe you let me climb up that mountainside back at the Orphanage with the way I was wobbling.

(Okay, so it was my idea, but still :P)

I'm gonna break my own rules again and say I miss you a lot.

Say hi to Taylor, Liz, Rebecca, and the whole Everspring gang from me,

Cass :)

P.S. I can't stop listening to Regina Spektor, so I don't have a song to share this time, but it's your fault for hooking me on her in the first place.


	27. Chapter 27

Mori's suspension for the incident with Chelsea lasted until the following Monday. It briefly made Chelsea, Liam, and Vasilio the center of school gossip, and everyone seemed to have their own take on Mori's behavior. This was a nastier side of Everspring International Pokemon Academy that Liam had never seen before, and it made him irritable and cranky.

"As if Mori doesn't have enough going on without everybody in the school talking behind her back," Liam grumbled during the week's Team Virtue meeting.

"Your feelings of humaneness towards Grace Shaw do you credit," said Professor Werner. "But don't deny her this chance to grow in virtue by softening the blow of her failure."

"I don't think gossip is a fair punishment, no matter what she did," Liam countered.

Werner stroked his wrinkled chin thoughtfully.

"No, you're right," he granted. "And yet I wonder if you're giving more thought to their thoughtless words than she does."

Liam couldn't argue with that.

To Liam's surprise, Mori seemed perfectly cheerful on the day she finally returned. If anything, Liam thought she could've done with a little more shame and solemnity, but Mori showed no interest in outward expressions of repentance. She was just glad to be back.

"Fall camp is out," she explained to Liam and Vasilio as they walked to their first class. "And Hempshear for fall break probably is too, unless you—."

"I'll work on your dad," said Vasilio reassuringly. "It is for school, after all."

"I was dying of boredom by Friday," Mori continued. "My room got the shakedown and all my good manga went in the trash."

Liam snorted. He knew what Mori's definition of "good manga" entailed.

"Is your phone still confiscated?" asked Vasilio.

"Yeah," said Mori. "It'll… be a while."

Liam marveled at just how casually his two friends were discussing the terms of Mori's penance. He had expected Vasilio of all people to come down hard on Mori, but even he seemed to view Mori as having suffered enough, despite her apparent lack of remorse.

"Hi, bro."

Chelsea Whitaker smiled at Liam as she passed, but carefully avoided Mori's gaze. Mori ignored Chelsea's presence entirely. Liam was confident that Chelsea was willing to reconcile—he wasn't so sure about Mori.

* * *

"Yep," Taylor explained through a mouthful of fried noodles. "Wednesday, starting this week."

"Thank Arceus," said Rebecca. "Friday was such a bad idea. I'm glad they finally gave up."

"It was an experiment," said Vasilio, playing the voice of moderation as usual. "But I'm with you guys. Wednesday is way better."

Taylor had just announced that the international youth group was moving from Friday to Wednesday, a welcome and apparently long-awaited development.

"I didn't know it used to be on Wednesday," said Liam.

"Yeah, well, you don't go to youth group, so you wouldn't know," Vasilio pointed out.

"Liam's also new," said Liz. "Comparatively, that is. It's been on Friday for less than a year. It was an experiment to try and get more kids from Everspring to go, but I don't think it actually changed the numbers."

Arthur gave a loud burp.

"You complete savage," said Rebecca, making a face and fanning the air.

"No, it's polite," Arthur insisted. "In Nanzo, it means—."

"Don't even try that with me," said Liz. "I've been here just as long as you have, and that is not a real Nanzo tradition. I have never seen anyone but you try it."

Arthur scowled.

"Liam, they're discriminating against my culture," said Arthur, leaning confidentially over to Liam.

"Sorry, I trust Liz more than I trust you," said Liam. "But going back to youth group—that means Friday nights are free now, right?"

"Heck yeah," said Taylor. "In fact, hear me out: Santiago's. This Friday. Burgers, fries, milkshakes—then we go busking in Bookwood Street and Jade Lake Park."

"I'm down," said Vasilio. "Rebecca?"

"Sounds fun," said Rebecca, leaning affectionately against Vasilio.

"Arthur?" said Taylor.

Arthur squirmed in his chair.

"Guys, I gotta… study," he said.

Liz snorted.

"Why does no one have any faith in me?" said Arthur in a long-suffering tone. "I'm taking three APs this year."

"Yeah, I know," said Liz. "AP Halo, AP Tekken, and AP Splinter Cell."

Liam nearly choked on his noodles. Arthur glared around at his friends, who were all looking at him with scarcely-disguised smirks.

"Fine," said Arthur, crossing his arms. "You win."

* * *

The planned excursion to Bookwood Street and Santiago's had become a full-fledged expedition by Friday. Besides the members of I Am Munchlax (and Liz, who Taylor jokingly styled the band's "manager"), Sylvia, Stephanie, Orchid, and Taylor's classmate August all expressed interest in coming along. Their ranks were further swelled by Robert, the band's tousle-haired and lackadaisical drummer, inviting his large and rowdy freshman entourage, and by the time they all gathered at the dry fountain in the middle of New Court, there were nearly two dozen Everspring students excitedly anticipating their night out.

"Hey, bro," said Chelsea Whitaker.

"Hey Chez," said Liam distractedly. "Dang, everyone's here."

"Everyone," of course, didn't include Mori. Despite a formal end to her school-imposed consequences, Mori was still enduring what she euphemistically called "parental sanctions"—no phone, no laptop, no iPod, no manga, and absolutely no outings. To Liam especially, Mori's exclusion felt wrong—she had been the one who first introduced him to Santiago's, and he knew how much staying home while all her friends were out enjoying themselves would eat at her. He peered up at Mori's bedroom window, which overlooked the middle of New Court. Her curtains were closed.

"We're almost ready," said Vasilio, giving Liam a light flick. "You wanna get a taxi for your Team Virtue peeps?"

"Alright," said Liam. "Chez, go grab Orchid and Aziz for me."

Chelsea gave an ironic salute and set to work. Vasilio was looking intently up at Mori's room, just as Liam had been.

"She wouldn't get in half so much trouble if she believed her parents loved her," Vasilio said quietly.

"Do they?" questioned Liam.

Vasilio gave a confident nod.

"They're not perfect. And they're really bad at showing that they love her. But yeah, they do. At least I think so. I know Mori doesn't."

Vasilio's phone buzzed.

"Arthur's already there," he said as he read the text. "His driver just dropped him and Sylvia off. Rich kids."

He gave a derisive snort.

"Maybe he can save some tables for us?" Liam suggested.

"I'm texting Sylvia," said Vasilio. "I trust her more."

* * *

It was lucky that Sylvia and Arthur had arrived ahead, because even with the tables they had reserved, their group barely fit in Santiago's second-floor loft. Liam found himself sharing a cramped corner table with Orchid, Vasilio, Sylvia, and Rebecca, along with their Pokemon. As they waited for the waitress to come take their order, Orchid surreptitiously sketched Vasilio's Amaura in her notebook, while Liam busied himself in perusing the impressive collection of weathered and outdated travel books on the nearby shelf. Liam's Sneasel eyed the Vibrava hovering overhead. Even with all the people, the wood flooring, comfortable chairs, and warm lighting made Liam feel at peace.

"Liam, you planning a vacation in Castelia?" said Vasilio with a smirk.

Liam jumped a little. He had been gazing absent-mindedly at a Unova travel guide, and he felt himself blushing at the knowing grins on his friend's faces.

"Aww, he misses her," said Rebecca. "So cute."

"Hey, I don't know that much about Unova," said Liam defensively. "I figured I should… learn something."

"Where are you from in Unova, anyways?" asked Sylvia.

Liam was grateful for the change of subject. Orchid was looking at him curiously, as if she guessed what the older students were teasing him about.

"Well, my parents are from Anville Town," Liam explained, closing and reshelving the travel guide as casually as possible. "That's where I was born, but I haven't lived there since I was two. Last time I went back was three summers ago."

"I'm more Unovan than Liam is," said Rebecca.

"I didn't know you lived in Unova," said Sylvia, leaning towards Rebecca. Her round glasses sparkled with piqued curiosity.

"I was there for… three years," said Rebecca, counting on her fingers, "in Virbank City."

"Never been there," said Liam. "Actually, I've never been anywhere in Unova besides Anville and the Mistralton airport."

The waitress arrived to take their orders. Orchid jolted when the waitress asked her what she wanted, mumbled something barely audible, and returned to sketching Vasilio's Amaura. Liam smiled to himself. Orchid's decision to come along had puzzled him, but clearly she was getting something out of it, even if it wasn't conversation.

* * *

A burger, a milkshake, and an hour and a half later, Liam was following I Am Munchlax down Bookwood Street in what he took to be the direction of Jade Lake Park. The narrow walking street had somehow become more alive while they were in Santiago's, as if the setting of the autumn sun had set loose the foreign college students, fashionable Nanzonese schoolgirls, and shuffling vagrants that now swarmed by them. Hip young couples in designer clothes crowded the foreign stores and restaurants, while bands of young trainers in jackets declaring their allegiance to Team Virtue, Team Balance, or Team Truth gaped at them as they passed by. Even in a place like Bookwood Street, a foreigner in Nanzo was still a novelty.

Liam had never envied the way his Ferrumian or Unovan-born Nanzonese friends could blend into a crowd and avoid the stares. Liam couldn't remember a time his light brown hair and fair skin hadn't been a novelty, and he had long accepted that one of the costs of living in a region like Nanzo was serving as a sort of public entertainment for the locals. He knew that merchants at the Feather and Petal Street market charged him extra because they assumed he didn't know any better, but he didn't resent it. He liked Nanzo, just like he had liked Johto, and he didn't mind if that carried a price. If anything, he felt sorry for students like Orchid, who had to constantly explain that they weren't Nanzonese whenever a local raised their eyebrows at their strange accent or lack of cultural knowledge. Even Arthur and Sylvia came in for it a little, despite their fluency in both local and foreign culture.

Leaving the bustling crowds of Bookwood Street behind them, the students turned onto a winding and steeply-sloping sidestreet—barely more than a paved cleft between the apartment blocks on either side. At the bottom, Liam caught his first glimpse of Jade Lake Park—a shimmering expanse of greenish water criss-crossed by stone bridges and walkways. He could see large islands covered in lush greenery and ornamented with pavilions and terraces in the traditional Nanzo style. Despite the darkness that had fallen and slightly-chilly air of late evening, the park was bustling with people. Most were locals, especially older people accompanying younger children. A few distant rumbles and cries told him at least some of the children had brought their Pokemon along.

"Let's cross there and get set up," called Taylor, pointing to an arching bridge of gray stone just ahead of them.

The Sneasel on Liam's left shoulder was suddenly alert, taking in the new smells and sounds of Jade Lake Park as Liam and the others climbed the steep bridge and arrived on a small island in the middle of the lake. The members of I Am Munchlax set to work unpacking their instruments as the locals gathered to stare at the young foreigners. Liam noticed that Orchid had sat down as close to Taylor as possible, as if determined to get the best listening experience possible.

Even if I Am Munchlax's performance had been mediocre, the novelty of five foreigners playing covers of Unovan pop punk songs would have drawn a sizable crowd. But they were in top form: Taylor's vocals were melodic and moving, Vasilio and Arthur's guitars drove a stirring rhythm, Liz's bow danced effortlessly over her violin, and even Robert's djembe somehow kept time with the other instruments—the latter was the most extraordinary part of the whole spectacle, in Liam's opinion. There were awkward moments—Liam couldn't hold back his laughter at Taylor's attempt at a ukulele solo—but overall, the band gave a genuinely entertaining performance. Orchid took in every moment of it, giving rapt attention to Taylor in particular as he belted out the choruses and strummed along on his ukulele. Liam listened to most of the songs, but he couldn't resist the urge to explore Jade Lake Park a little. Even at night, there was a lot to see.

What Liam first took for lily pads in the dark water quickly revealed themselves to be Lotads drifting lazily in the cool, murky pools. Apart from these plant-like Pokemon and the swarm of Zubat that flittered high overhead—hardly an unusual sight in Nanzo—Liam saw no signs of endemic wildlife. He guessed there were probably Magikarp and Barboach lurking beneath the lake's shimmering surface—a thought that made him shudder—but otherwise, Jade Lake Park closely resembled the community park just out the back gate of New Court. This was a park for people, not a place for wild Pokemon. Many of the activities Liam saw were familiar to him—old men playing chess, middle-aged men and women playing cards or mahjong, young children chasing after their Pokemon. This was Nanzo at its best: a culture bound together across generations by its open spaces. Liam found himself wishing he knew the rules of mahjong or had the courage to join a round of cards. He knew the locals wouldn't have minded—for every rude stare, there was a smile, a wave, a "hello, Unova" followed by hearty and good-natured laughter. But meeting strangers wasn't Liam's strong suit. So he watched, smiled, nodded, and enjoyed being a welcome outsider.

"Where have you been, bro?" asked Chelsea as Liam sat down beside her. "This is their last song."

"Just enjoying the park," said Liam. "I've heard them play loads of times."

"They're pretty good," said Chelsea.

Liam chuckled.

"They're really good tonight," corrected Liam. "Wait until you see them fall apart at the Talent Show before you form a verdict."

Their last song complete, the members of I Am Munchlax proclaimed their love for Everspring City, took their bows, packed up their instruments, and led their friends out of Jade Lake Park. Chelsea ditched Liam to rejoin Robert's entourage, but Liam soon found himself walking next to Orchid. He couldn't resist prying a little.

"How'd you like the show?"

"It was… g-good," said Orchid with a shrug.

From anyone else, this answer would have been non-committal—from Orchid, it was a glowing endorsement.

"If I'm not being nosy, are things back to normal with you and Taylor yet?"

Orchid gave another shrug, Liam thought he saw the color rising in her cheeks.

"What did you… do with it?" asked Orchid timidly.

"Do with—oh, you mean your painting?" said Liam.

"Yeah."

"I taped it back together and put it on my shelf," said Liam.

Orchid's eye grew wide, and she made a small choking sound.

"Sorry," Liam added quickly. "It was too nice to throw away. I had to save it."

Orchid clearly didn't know what to say to this. They had reached the entrance to Bookwood Street, and Chelsea was waving her arms wildly to get Liam's attention.

"I think Chez has a taxi," said Liam. "You gonna ride back with us?"

"I don't… live in New Court," said Orchid. "I went home with Chelsea after school. My driver is gonna… come p-pick me up."

Liam was reminded of Vasilio's remark about Arthur and Sylvia earlier that day. Orchid, despite her shyness and low social profile, was also a rich kid.

"Alright," said Liam. "Well, I'll see you on Monday."

He turned to leave, but Orchid gave an uncomfortable cough.  
"B-before you go," she stammered. "I want to ask… Uh…"

Chelsea was standing in the door of a taxi she had flagged down, waving for Liam to hurry up. Liam motioned for her to wait just a minute longer.

"Liam," Orchid continued. "Can I… I mean, I was… w-wondering…"

Her face was very red, and she was shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

"Will you… g-go to Winter Ball… with me?"

She glanced up at Liam, and to his surprise, he saw uncertainty in her eyes. She really didn't know if he was going to say yes.

"Yes," said Liam. "That sounds… Yeah, I'd love to. Thank you."

Liam glanced back at Chelsea.

"Sorry, I'm gonna get left behind if I don't—."

Orchid gave him a thumbs up. She was smiling—genuinely smiling—and Liam couldn't think about anything else the entire ride home.


	28. Chapter 28

All of the sudden, Liam had a lot to look forward to in the rest of the fall semester. The Winter Ball wasn't until late November, but Fall Camp was almost around the corner, and the school was buzzing with excitement. It reminded Liam of the leadup to the Village Trip last spring, with the study body eagerly anticipating the possibilities promised by a weekend camping with friends. Only a few students—most notably Mori—didn't share the popular enthusiasm.

"Two nights sleeping on rocks and grass," she said bitterly. "Have fun."

Orchid also wasn't planning to go.

"It just… doesn't sound like fun," she confided to Liam, and he didn't blame her. A highly-scheduled weekend away from her sketchbook didn't sound like Orchid's thing.

Liam was reluctant to send a reply to Cass's most recent email for a variety of reasons, not least of which was breaking to her that he had a date for the Winter Ball. But when he finally sent his long and carefully-worded reply, Cass had nothing to offer but approval. She knew Orchid—"Of course," Liam thought to himself, "Cass knows everyone"—and thoroughly approved of them going to Winter Ball together.

"I should've known someone else would make a move on you before too long," she wrote teasingly.

By the last Thursday before Fall Camp, attention spans were at an all-time low, and even Professor Werner was struggling to cope. He scowled at the excited faces of the Team Virtue novices gathered in the green tent, resigned to the fact that nothing of value would be achieved that day.

"I can see your minds are otherwise occupied," Werner griped, "So meaningful instruction is out of the question. We find ourselves at an impasse."

"Tell us about the war!" Liam shouted.

Liam knew he was being bold in bringing up the war at all. It was common knowledge that Werner had been a young man during the Second Pokemon War and had witnessed it firsthand—what wasn't common knowledge was that Jacob Werner had spent the war taking on Kantonian bombers in the skies over Nanzo.

"Come on, professor," chimed in Tim Choi. "We know you fought the Kantonians. Tell us about it. It could be inspirational."

Liam and a few other students snorted at the idea of anything Werner said being "inspirational," but Professor Werner himself seemed struck by the idea.

"Why not?" he croaked.

The students of Team Virtue exchanged excited glances.

* * *

"Jacob. Jacob, get up. The dwarf bandits are flying for Twice-Honored City. We've got to move."

Jacob Werner jerked awake. Jing, one of the Nanzonese pilots that trained with the Flying Incineroars, was shaking him awake.

"Colonel Chandler wants everyone in the squadron ready in five minutes," said Jing. "He says if we make haste, we may be able to intercept."

Jacob Werner was already scrambling to put on his uniform. He snatched his flight jacket, Apricorns, and a worn copy of _The Analects_ off his nightstand and followed Jing out of the barrack into the cold night air. The other pilots of 2nd squadron were already mustered, and Colonel Chandler—the hawk-nosed commander of the Flying Incineroars—was giving the mission briefing.

"We're looking at 35 or 40 K-49 Dragonites, accompanied by a light A7 Fearow escort," said Chandler. "That's the Kantonian's biggest raid so far. The probable payload is firebombs. Your task is to intercept them twenty miles north of the city at the river crossing and scatter them before they reach the capital. Lucky for us, some farmers spotted them when they left the Three Cities in Dongzo. We have the edge on them—at least for now."

Colonel Chandler turned his weathered face and dark, crinkled eyes on each of the pilots in turn. Many of them—like Jacob Werner—were trembling slightly from the cold.

"Get moving," said Chandler.

The pilots saluted and sprang into action. Jacob Werner climbed into the cockpit of his fighter—a P-40 Braviary Model B painted with an Incineroar's jaws—and hastily checked his gear and instruments. It was nearly an hour's journey to Twice-Honored City, the wartime capital of the Four Regions, but intercepting a massive Kantonian raid was a rare chance. Jacob Werner shook himself.

"Let's go," he said.

The Model B's engine sputtered and the propeller began to spin. Jacob Werner adjusted his flight helmet and made a final check of his fuel gage and oil temperature. This mission would require more than the usual amount of these precious and limited resources. The Flying Incineroars, after all, were officially volunteers, and the besieged Nationalist government in Twice-Honored City could give them little. Unova was still neutral—at least for now. Colonel Chandler said that wouldn't last much longer.

Jacob's plane lurched off the runway and took to the air. Ahead of him, he could see the silhouettes of the other P-40s of the 2nd squadron falling into formation. Jacob raised his landing gear, adjusted the throttle, and climbed up to meet them.

It was still an hour or two before sunrise, but Jacob would still catch an occasional glimpse of the deep valleys and steep hills terraced with rice fields below. The Second Pokemon War hadn't been kind to Nanzo—even this far south, the Kantonian invasion had sowed misery, hunger, and death. Yet while the regions to the north and east had faced the full wrath of the Kanto Imperial Military, Nanzo had mostly been shielded. Jacob had heard the stories of the rapes and massacres. There were even rumors that the invading Kantonian soldiers had revived the cruel and ancient practices of burying Pokemon alive—rumors that Jacob Werner could easily believe from all he had seen in the past three years. So while the scattered villages and farms below gave Jacob comfort, they also reminded him of what was at stake.

The sun was just beginning to crack the eastern horizon when Jacob spotted the fork in the Long River where the crumbling remnant of Twice-Honored City slept. The K-49s of Imperial Kanto had pounded the city for months, trying to bury the Nationalist leadership of the Four Regions under bombs and broken stones. The Kantonian military revelled in the impunity with which it rained fire and death on the wartime capital, but their triumphalist propaganda belied an uncomfortable truth: the war for the Four Regions was at a stalemate. Nanzo, like Galar, was waiting for Unova to wake up.

"Last sighting was 60 miles to the northeast," came Lt. Barton's voice over the squadron radio. "We're right on schedule. Let's get some altitude."

The squadron of Braviary Model Bs rose steadily. Jacob tried to keep his breathing even, but he could feel his heart beginning to race. He wasn't afraid of combat, but it produced a transformation in him—focusing his thoughts and tightening his reflexes. He was, as the other pilots said, a "cool hand." His eyes scanned the horizon, searching out the enemy planes. Just seconds after he spotted the swarm of black shapes several miles ahead, Lt. Barton's voice came over the radio.

"Pokemon out," said Lt. Barton. "Focus on those Kanny bombers."

Werner reached for the Apricorn on his belt and pulled the lever that opened the canopy. Turning the metal knob on the polished wooden sphere, he released Skarmory into the air beside his plane. Skarmory served a vital role in battle, acting as a second pair of eyes for the pilot—guarding his back and covering him on attack runs. Just as importantly—in Jacob's mind, at least—Skarmory could engage enemy Pokemon directly. Although his P-40 was equipped with machine guns in each wing, Jacob Werner never directed them at enemy Pokemon. They, after all, hadn't chosen this war. The Kantonian pilots, by contrast, were fair game.

Jacob began his first dive on a K-49 Dragonite at the edge of the enemy formation. With Skarmory following close behind him, Jacob sent a spray of bullets at the enemy fuselage before jerking his controls back and regaining his lost altitude. From the corner of his eye, Jacob saw that the damage from his machine guns was superficial, but Skarmory had dived directly into its rear turret, shattering the glass that protected the gunner and disabling the bomber's main means of self-defense.

"Good bird," said Jacob.

But as Skarmory reappeared at his side, the Pokemon gave a cry that he understood too well.

"Fearows," he growled.

Several of the bombers' fighter escorts had broken away from the main formation to hunt down the Incineroars. Attempting to dogfight an A7 Fearow was a pointless exercise, as Colonel Chandler had drilled into Jacob and the other pilots since their first day in Everspring City. The Kantonian fighters were more maneuverable, at least at lower speeds, so Model Bs relied on a different strategy—swooping down on Fearows from above and then using the momentum of the attack to regain altitude and wheel around for another strike. It was an effective strategy, and gave the Flying Incineroars the impressive kill numbers that were widely-reported—so Jacob's relatives told him—in Unovan newspapers.

"Don't let those fighters distract you," said Lt. Barton's voice. "We've got eight minutes before those bombers reach the city."

Jacob whirled his fighter back around and performed a second dive on the enemy bomber. This time, his bullets shredded the engines, penetrated the canopy, and sent the K-49 plummeting towards the river below. Skarmory gave another cry, and Jacob heard the whirring of bullets passing him on the left. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw the A7 Fearow that was stalking him.

"Hey, Jing," said Jacob. "Do you see that—?"

"Got it," came the Nanzonese pilot's distorted voice.

There was a bright flash and the sound of a fighter violently disintegrating. Jacob caught a glimpse of Jing's Dragonair doing a triumphant somersault through the air. He felt pity for the Kantonian pilot—getting fried by a Thunderbolt sounded like a terrible way to die.

"Thanks, Jing," said Jacob.

"Damn it," came Morris' voice over the squadron radio. "I've got Impidimps in my left gun. It's jammed. I'm following the lead bombers. I need—."

"Werner, Jing, take over for Morris," said Lt. Barton. "Break their formation and break it now."

It took Jacob Werner just a quick glance around the aerial battle to spot their target. He made a sharp turn then climbed again, preparing to dive right into the midst of the enemy formation.

"Jacob," came Jing's voice on the radio. "We'll take them head-on. Are you ready?"

Jacob shot a glance at the Pokemon flying beside him.

"Ready when you are," he replied.

* * *

Professor Werner gave a wry smile at the rapt faces of the Team Virtue initiates.

"Oh, come on," said Tim Choi. "Professor, you can't stop there."

"What happened to the city?" put in Liam. "The raid? Did they make it?"

Professor Werner a slight cough and leaned on his cane.

"The Flying Incineroars destroyed 30 enemy planes that morning, including 22 enemy bombers," said Werner simply. "The Kantonian raid succeeded in dropping about half of its intended payload of firebombs of Twice-Honored City, killing over 2000 people. The city burned for three days afterwards, leaving a cloud of smoke so tall it was sighted in as far south as Azurite Town. It was the single-deadliest raid in that year of the war."

"Wait," said Liam. "Then it was… just for nothing? You came all that way and they still bombed the city? What was the point of that story?"

"The point, Mr. Holbrook," growled Werner. "Is that sometimes we don't have the power to do what we wish, but we still do what we must."

Werner's watery blue eyes studied Liam carefully.

"Last year, some of you fought off an attack by Team Power on the Pokemon Orphanage in Azurite Town. Despite your best efforts, the Orphanage sustained serious damage, and the Pokemon had to be relocated. Was your resistance for nothing, even if you didn't succeed?"

"I… no," said Liam.

"The idea that all things in the world have a right and proper order is central to the teachings of Team Virtue," Werner continued. "That through submitting to the wisdom of Heaven, all things—and especially the relationship between people and Pokemon—can be put right. To believe that is to believe that you can never resist evil in vain."

"Professor," said Chelsea, raising her hand. "Were the Kantonians… evil?"

It was a dangerous question—not the kind of question people usually dared to ask in a school with students from around the world. But Professor Werner took it seriously. He stroked his chin.

"No," he said at last. "They fought for evil, and did evil things—very evil things. There are older Nanzonese who can still remember seeing their mothers raped, their brothers beheaded, their Pokemon killed and eaten by Kantonian soldiers—for sport!"

Werner exhaled through his nose, and Liam saw a fire burning in his eyes that would have made any foe recoil. Chelsea gripped the table in front of her.

"You have a soft heart, Miss Whitaker," said Werner. "But I know you know evil. I wondered, at first, if... "

Werner coughed again. Liam thought he looked distracted, or confused.

"We'll end here today," said Werner abruptly. "Enjoy your Fall Camp."

There was an uncomfortable shuffling as the students of Team Virtue slowly picked up their things and left the tent. Chelsea Whitaker, however, didn't leave her seat. Liam thought she looked deeply troubled, as if someone Werner had said was still nagging at her.

"You okay, Chez?"

Chelsea pushed her red curls out of her face.

"I don't know," she said. "It's just… I've heard that story before. Like, exactly like that. I just don't know… where."

Liam's eyes moved to Professor Werner, who was still leaning silently on his cane. He looked weary, and his face was just as troubled as Chelsea's.

"That's weird," said Liam. "But you've got a knack for knowing stuff, Chez. Let's give him some space."

Chelsea nodded, and after collecting their Pokeballs and bags, the two friends left their master to his thoughts.


	29. Chapter 29

"Then they know," said the Grandmaster in his soft, raspy voice.

His adjutant nodded.

"All the gym leaders have been told," said Zhang. "And so have the local authorities. Truth and Balance are patrolling the northern border."

The Grandmaster waved away the new information.

"This is a small matter," he said dismissively. "We knew that Team Power could not keep Rasmus hidden for long. Our plans are not changed in the slightest."

The door to the office burst open and Claire strode impatiently to the Grandmaster's desk.

"You sent scouts to Nanzo?" said Claire incredulously

The Grandmaster frowned.

"I did," he said calmly. "What of it?"

Claire rolled her eyes in disbelief.

"You told me I couldn't go," she said, jabbing an accusing finger at her father. "You told me to wait. Then you send this idiot—behind my back—to do exactly what I offered to do, just because—."

"Yes," said the Grandmaster. "Now close your mouth before you make a fool of yourself again. I have business to attend to, and you have no part in it."

Claire was breathing heavily, her teeth grinding together. Both Zhang and her father were looking at her with undisguised contempt, as if she were a misbehaving child.

"Whatever," said Claire.

She turned on her heel and stormed out of the office as abruptly as she had entered. There really wasn't anything else to say. The Grandmaster was toying with her, wasting her time with errands while Zhang did the real work in Nanzo. She wouldn't make any progress this way. She needed to take matters into her own hands.

Claire ran to her room to gather her Pokeballs and pack her bag. She grabbed a change of clothes from her dresser—a dark hoodie, jeans, and a knitted cap. She wasn't planning on getting caught, but she wanted to be careful. She'd rather be stopped crossing the Nanzo border as a foreign student than as a Team Power admin.

* * *

"Maybe it'll rain," said Mori.

Liam and Vasilio glanced up at the clear, blue sky overhead.

"I said maybe," said Mori sulkily.

"It just means she'll miss us," said Vasilio, giving Mori a flick. "Isn't your boyfriend staying? You're getting selfish, Mori. You can't have everyone all the time."

Mori gave a shrug.

"9th grade!" called Professor Wort's deep voice. "Get your things, get on the bus!"

"We're next," said Liam, pulling his backpack over his shoulder. "Don't miss us too much."

Vasilio and Liam turned to leave.

"Hey Liam," said Mori.

Liam stopped in his tracks and turned back to face Mori. She detached a Pokeball from her belt and offered it to him.

"Anastasia needs some time outside her Pokeball," Mori explained. "Take care of her, okay? If you lose her, I will—."

"Mori, I'm not gonna lose her," said Liam, adding the Pokeball to his belt. "I'll make sure she gets some exercise."

Mori smiled.

"Thanks."

She gave him an appreciative flick on the shoulder.

"10th grade, let's go!" said Professor Wort.

"Seeya, Mori," said Vasilio with a wink.

Liam and Vasilio climbed onto the already-crowded bus and took their seats near the front. Sylvia and Stephanie took the seats across from them.

"Did you hear about the tents?" asked Sylvia as the bus started to move.

"What tents?" said Liam.

"They don't have enough tents," explained Stephanie. "So they're putting more people in the ones they have."

"Ick," said Liam. "How am I regretting this already?"

He looked out the window to where Mori was standing alone, watching the bus as it departed. He waved at her. Either she didn't see him, or she was too lost in her thoughts, because she ignored his gesture.

* * *

"This sucks," said Jonah.

Liam, Vasilio, and Jonah had been struggling with their small tent for more than half an hour, and making very little progress along the way. Vasilio in particular was showing uncharacteristic signs of agitation, and Liam thought he looked about ready to snap.

"This is ridiculous," said Vasilio, running a hand through his white hair.

The bus had dropped off the students on a sloping field about 45 minutes outside of town. It was bounded on one side by the small stream and on the other by a dirt path, just wide enough for one-way vehicle traffic. At the bottom of the slope, the hillside became steeper, falling into a deep gorge before opening into a wide valley far below. It was a fantastic view, and one that Cass would have unquestionably enjoyed.

The male students had been assigned to the higher, steeper end of the slope, while the female students were setting up their tents on a more even ground below. This was one of many things that Liam found very unfair.

"How are we supposed to fit three people in a two-man tent anyways?" asked Liam.

"Having trouble?"

Sylvia and Stephanie were grinning at the boys and their thoroughly unassembled tent.

"Shut up, Sylv," snapped Vasilio.

"We can help," said Stephanie. "My Lucario is very good at—."

"I think we're good," said Jonah coolly.

Sylvia and Stephanie glanced at each other, gave knowing smiles, and started back down the hill to their own tent. The girls had been given the larger tents, and clearly found the boys' situation very amusing.

"Hey dudes," said Taylor. "How's it coming?"

"It's not," said Liam. "How about you guys?"

Taylor jerked a thumb over his shoulder. Their tent was standing, but that was about all that could be said for it. Liam thought it looked like it would collapse if anyone so much as rolled over during the night.

"Okay, we definitely don't want your help," said Vasilio. "Liam, get your Espeon out. Let's see if we can—actually, Jonah, maybe your Lycanroc too."

Through the combined efforts of Espeon's Psychic abilities, Vasilio's methodical instructions, and Lycanroc's willingness to pull on any rope that was put in its mouth, they finally managed to put up something that resembled a livable tent. They finished just in time, as the call for dinner had just gone out.

Liam and Vasilio stood in line for about ten minutes before receiving a disappointing (in Liam's opinion) meal consisting solely of a hot dog and an orange. Liam immediately regretted not bringing along more snacks as he and Vasilio sat down on a moss-covered rock near their tent to eat.

"There is no way all three of us will fit in that tent," said Liam, looking warily at the small structure. "Who's sleeping on top of who?"

Vasilio was busy feeding some of his orange to his Amaura and didn't answer. Liam suddenly remembered his promise to Mori, and released Anastasia from the Pokeball on his belt. The Bouffalant tossed its afro nervously as it surveyed its new surroundings.

"That Pokemon is a nervous type," said Vasilio. "I hope she'll do alright without Mori."

Liam stroked Anastasia's shaggy hair, and the Pokemon seemed to relax. Clearly, Mori's Bouffalant had come a long way since she had informally adopted it last spring. The Pokemon had once been Claire's—she had cast it aside to be buried alive back in Jadetower City. Mori and Anastasia had bonded over their shared wounds, but it was more than that. Mori doted on Anastasia, brushing and massaging her like a little girl with a favorite pet. It was an amusing contrast to Mori's scolding and sarcastic attitude towards her Misdreavus. Maybe she saw two different sides of herself in each.

"Hey, bro."

Chelsea Whitaker was standing over Liam with a strange glint in her eye. Marsha Cheong was beside her, her hands on her hips in an amusing power stance.

"Hi Chez, Marsha," said Liam suspiciously. "What's up?"

"I did not know you were training a Boufallant," said Marsha, eyeing the large Pokemon warily.

"It's not mine," explained Liam. "It's Mori. I'm just watching it for her."

Chelsea and Marsha exchanged a meaningful glance.

"I can tell you two are after something," said Liam. "What is it?"

"Bro," said Chelsea, leaning forward confidentially. "I need to borrow your Espeon. They're doing an Eevee battle in the girls camp and I really want to beat John's Flareon."

"I'm not a Pokemon lending library," Liam pointed out. "But fine, here. Heal him after you're done."

Chelsea was so excited that she nearly dropped the Pokeball as he offered it to her. With triumphant grins on their faces, Chelsea and Marsha scampered back down to the girls' campsite. Liam noticed that Vasilio was watching him with an odd smirk on his face.

"What?" said Liam.

"Just thinking about what Mori would say if she saw you lend a Pokemon to a 9th grader," said Vasilio. "A female 9th grader."

Liam rolled his eyes.

"Chez is pretty good with Espeon," said Liam. "I wouldn't lend him to just any pretty girl."

He bit his tongue.

"Oh good," said Vasilio with a sly grin. "So if you ever discover an ugly girl, you'll start acting normally."

Liam ignored his friend's chiding. He was watching Chelsea's battle with great interest. Liam hadn't had much success with his Pokemon since it evolved from an Eevee, but Chelsea's handling seemed almost effortless. She was calling out attacks, predicting enemy moves, and operating in sync in a way that would have even impressed Professor Werner. Even more strange, Liam knew Chelsea wasn't a particularly exceptional trainer. She liked to battle; but she relied more on tenacity than skill. Even her knack for reading her opponent's next move was more instinct than prediction. But there she was, commanding a difficult Pokemon like a master Vasilio had clearly noticed it too.

"When did Chelsea get that good?" said Vasilio curiously.

"I dunno," said Liam.


	30. Chapter 30

"Raining? How is it raining?"

Liam, Vasilio, and Jonah had somehow squeezed themselves into the tiny tent, but sleep had proved elusive. The first evening of fall camp had been good. They had sat around a real campfire—something Liam hadn't done in years—and listened as Taylor and Arthur led increasingly off-key songs on their guitars. As the fire slowly died, Liam wandered off from the group, taking advantage of the few moments he had alone to listen to the sound of the nearby stream and let his Murkrow fly laps around the camp. But soon enough, the teachers were coming around and sending them off to bed. Liam, Vasilio, and Jonah received an angry visit from Professor Rollon about the amount of noise they were making—in retrospect, Liam realized that blasting Sum 41 songs from Vasilio's portable speaker probably hadn't been the wisest idea. But they had been enjoying themselves, and even after being exiled to their tents, they had to express their giddiness somehow.

"Mori cursed us," said Vasilio, rubbing his eyes. "Ugh, at least the tent isn't leaking. What time is it?"

Jonah felt around for his phone as Liam turned on their flashlight.

"10:24," said Jonah. "Damn. I was just starting to get tired."

There was a sound of shouting and feet splashing through mud from outside. Clearly, they weren't the only ones awake.

"Is somebody running around in the rain?" wondered Liam.

Their tent suddenly shook, and they heard someone fumbling with the zipped-up flap.

"Dudes, let me in!"

It was Taylor's voice. Vasilio scrambled to unzip the door and let Taylor crawl into the cramped space. His long black hair was soaked-through, as were his clothes.

"What happened?"said Vasilio.

"Our tent collapsed," said Taylor. "August and the others are still out there, and our stuff is—."

Liam put his belt of Pokeballs back on and passed the flashlight to Taylor.

"Let's go get your stuff. You can sleep here."

Jonah groaned.

"Man, I don't think anybody's gonna sleep."

Taylor gave Liam an appreciative wink, and together they set out into the darkness and rain.

Either Mori had some kind of supernatural influence over weather in proportion to her pettiness, or Nanzo's weather was more volatile than Liam had realized, because it was pouring. Liam could barely see more than a few feet in front of him through the rain and wind, and his clothes were immediately soaked through. He and Taylor stumbled their way across the steep slope in the direction of Taylor's collapsed ten, where they found August digging through the wreckage.

"It's no good!" shouted Taylor over the roar of rain and wind. "I'm gonna stay with Liam. Do you have a tent?"

August nodded, and together they managed to dig out Taylor's sleeping bag and guitar case.

"Get those back to the tent," said Liam, trying hard to make himself heard. "I'm gonna make sure everybody found a place to sleep."

Taylor gave him a thumbs up. Liam didn't like to think about how little space would be left for him when he got back to the tent, but something in him wanted to be sure nobody was spending the night out in the cold and wet. He trudged from tent to tent, sheltering his eyes as he looked for homeless students. He couldn't see anyone. He was about to return to his own tent when he caught sight of something—a figure silhouetted against the stormy skies above, looking down at him from the crest of the slope. Liam's heart jumped, but as he peered at the figure, he quickly realized this was no ghost or phantom. It was a girl.

"Who are you?" called Liam as he rushed towards her.

She took a step back. Liam could see her eyes now—cold, blue eyes. Eyes he recognized.

"Claire!"

Liam was overcome with a sudden hatred. For now, it didn't matter to him that he was out in pouring rain, that sliding through the mud in soaked shoes, that his friends were probably wondering where he was. All he could think about was Claire. He was going to stop her. She wouldn't get away.

Claire's silhouette had disappeared from the ridge, but Liam was gaining on her. He pulled himself over the ridge, sprinting after her fleeing form. He sprang forward, catching her by the wrist, but she slashed at his face with her fingernails.

"Let go!" she screamed.

But Liam wouldn't let go. They were struggling with each other in the dark, grasping blindly at rain-soaking clothes and skin. Liam felt a sharp pain in his shin as Claire kicked him. He lost his balance and staggered, still holding Claire's wrist firmly in his hand. As he tried to find his footing, the ground seemed to give way, and Liam fell backwards, dragging Claire along with him. There was a flash, and with a shock Liam realized they had fallen into the stream that formed the eastern boundary of the campsite. Only that stream had become a river, and it was carrying Liam and Claire swiftly into the valley below. Liam felt Claire's fingernails digging into his flesh, but he didn't let go.

It took a sudden bump on the head to loosen his grip.

* * *

Liam jolted awake. It was still dark, and the rain was still falling hard. He was lying face-up on a riverbank, covered in mud and soaked from head-to-toe. He immediately felt for the Pokeballs on his belt. They were all still there, including Anastasia's. With a sigh of relief, Liam pulled himself painfully to his feet. He was in an unfamiliar place, far from the campsite. How far was impossible to tell—perhaps miles, perhaps just a few hundred meters—but Liam was sure he didn't recognize any familiar landmarks. He hoped it was just the rain and the dark.

He suddenly remembered how he had come there, and his eyes scanned the muddy riverbed for Claire. He saw her—face-down about ten meters away, her blonde hair filled with mud. Liam rushed over to lift her out of the water and onto the bank. She was still breathing, but unconscious. Liam wondered what he should do. He knew what Mori would've said—"Leave her. Let the bitch die."—but Liam couldn't bring himself to leave her. He looked for shelter, and spotted a nearby cave. Praying that it wouldn't turn out to be infested with Zubats or Ariados, Liam dragged Claire's limp body across the slippery ground and into the comparative safety of the cave. It was empty, and just large enough to give both of them shelter. Liam propped Claire against the wall of the cave and checked her for injuries. She had a dark bruise on her forehead, but otherwise she looked unharmed. Suddenly, Liam realized with a shock that Claire's Pokeballs were missing. He couldn't believe that she had come to Nanzo without them—she must have lost them in the river. Determined to at least try to find them, Liam pulled his jacket over his head and ventured back out into the storm.

After surveying the riverbed for a few moments, Liam's heart leapt. Claire's belt of Pokeballs had washed up on the far bank. The water was still moving fast, but Liam was determined. Finding the shallowest crossing he could, Liam waded to the far side of the river, collected the Pokeballs, and crossed back in safety.

It was only after he did this that he realized he could have sent his Murkrow to collect them without taking his chances in the river.

Liam returned to the cave to find Claire coughing and shivering. She jumped to her feet when she saw him, and her eyes darted to the belt of Pokeballs in his hand.

"Give those to me," she said threateningly. "They're mine!"

"I'll keep them for now," said Liam with a frown.

He sat down against the opposite cave wall, keeping his eyes on Claire's hands in case she snatched at the belt. Claire was glowering at him.

"Give me my Pokemon," she said through gritted teeth.

"You know, for someone who throws away their Pokemon, you're pretty possessive," said Liam. "I'll give them back to you if you help me get back to the camp. After the rain stops."

They both looked out at the downpour. It didn't look like stopping anytime soon.

"I'm guessing you're responsible for this," said Liam. "Somehow."

"Maybe I am," said Claire. "So what? Who are you, anyways?"

"I'm one of Mori's friends," said Liam. "We met last year. At the Track, at the school, and at the—."

"At the TV Tower," interrupted Claire. "Right. I thought you looked familiar. So you're one of the losers that hangs out with Grace Shaw? I guess she's already poisoned you against me, then."

"I didn't need Mori to tell me anything," said Liam. "But everything you did last year fit in nicely with what she said."

Claire scoffed. She climbed to her feet and started pacing the tiny gave in a vain attempt to keep warm. For a few minutes, they were both silent.

"Maybe you should listen to my side of the story," said Claire abruptly. "After all, you can't trust what Grace Shaw—."

"Your grunts killed a Pokemon last semester!" said Liam incredulously.

Claire's eyes flashed.

"I didn't order them to!" she shouted, "They… they did that on their own."

"I'm sure that will make everything okay for Chelsea," said Liam sarcastically, "But you don't even care enough to apologize, so that's not surprising."

Claire gaped at Liam. Then, to his astonishment, tears began to roll down her face.

"Chez," she sobbed, "Chez was my friend. I didn't mean to hurt her… I didn't want…"

Her legs gave way and she slid to the floor of the cave with her face in her hands. Her whole body was trembling, and her breathing came in choking sobs.

"Everyone hates me! I didn't want this… I didn't want Scraggy to die. It wasn't my fault..."

Suddenly, Claire's whole body seemed to go rigid. The tears were still coming, but they were tears of anger, not of grief.

"No!" she gasped, "No, no, no! I'm not weak! I'm… I'm strong. I'm stronger than this."

She pounded the dirt floor with her clenched fists and almost screamed in impotent fury.

"Did you really think when you joined Team Power that none of your friends were going to get hurt?" asked Liam, "That everyone would just let you walk all over them?"

"You don't understand," said Claire bitterly, avoiding Liam's eyes.

"I don't have to," said Liam, firmly, "Team Power thinks they have the right to crush anyone that's weak. That's all I need to know. And they'll crush you too, in the end."

"No!" shouted Claire, "No, they… they can't! I'm strong! I'm stronger than all of them!"

"No you're not," said Liam flatly. "You pretend to be strong, but you're a coward."

"Shut up!" spat Claire, "You're so mean!"

Liam laughed.

"I saw the things you left in Mori's locker two years ago," he said.

"You don't know what she was like two years ago," Claire retorted, "she needed someone to be hard on her."

"You're impossible," said Liam, rolling his eyes, "Everything you do has some stupid excuse that only makes sense to you."

"Don't call me that," said Claire, staring angrily at him.

"Call you what?"

"Don't call me stupid," she said, "I'm not stupid."

"Okay, fine," said Liam, "You're not stupid, you just do stupid things with stupid people for stupid reasons."

Claire stared at Liam in disbelief. Then, as if what he said had only just sunk in, she buried her face in her crossed arms and started to cry again.

"Go away," she sobbed, "Just go away."

"No," said Liam.

Claire tried to kick at him.

"Leave me alone!" she shrieked.

Liam crossed his arms.

"Are you done?" he asked testily. "Because I figured we're stuck in this cave until morning, and I don't want to spend that whole time listening to you wallowing in self-pity."

Claire chewed her tongue and glowered at Liam, but she seemed to get a hold of herself again.

"Let's start over," she said. "As long as we're stuck here, I want to tell you my side of the story. Can that hurt?"

Liam shrugged.

"Just be careful what you say about Mori," said Liam.

Claire gave an exasperated sigh.

"Grace Shaw never liked me," she began. "Not from my first day at Everspring. I don't know why. I never did anything to make her hate me. She just—."

"What about the notes?" said Liam coldly.

"They… that wasn't until later," Claire replied.

"What about that time you gave her a fake valentine just to humiliate her?"

Claire blinked.

"That's… not what happened," she said evasively.

"Don't try that," said Liam. "I heard about that from Vasilio, not from Mori. Is he a liar too?"

"No," said Claire. "No, he… It's… hard to explain."

"Let me guess," said Liam sarcastically. "I don't understand."

Claire turned her eyes angrily on Liam, but then they softened.

"I'll tell you what happened," said Claire seriously. "The true story. But you have to promise not to tell anyone. Ever. Do you promise?"

Liam thought for a moment.

"You know what? Sure. I don't have a lot of confidence that this story will be worth sharing anyways, but go ahead. I promise I won't tell."

Claire took a deep breath.

"Okay," she said. "This is the true story."


	31. Chapter 31

"Here you go, Claire," said Sylvia. "Five for you."

Clair received the roses with slightly trembling hands. Ordinarily, she would have been flattered—even though three of the beautiful flowers had been from her dad. But her thoughts were on something else. On someone else.

She watched Mori carefully as Sylvia approached her desk.

"Here you go, Grace," said Sylvia, handing her a single rose.

Mori looked at the gift with evident surprise.

"Who's this from?" she asked.

"Anonymous," said Sylvia, adjusting her round glasses mysteriously. "But it does have a note."

Claire couldn't take it anymore. She pretended to look at the roses her dad had given her as Mori opened the card. When Claire did glance back over, she saw that Mori's face had turned a deep red.

"Who's that from, Mori?" asked Vasilio, leaning over to try and read the card.

"None of your business," said Mori, stuffing it into her pocket.

"Love letter from a secret admirer?" asked David teasingly.

"Maybe," said Mori.

Claire noticed something odd in her voice. She wasn't offended, or angry, or dismissive. She was… happy. Claire's heart pounded. She couldn't focus on anything—her entire being was lost in the expression on Mori's face. She had made her happy.

The bell rang. Claire did her best to act normally as she gathered her notebooks. She desperately wanted to look back at Mori, to see some hint of her thoughts. But she didn't. Rain and Sylvia were waiting for her at the door.

"Are you okay, Claire?" asked Rain as they walked to science class.

"Yeah," said Claire. "I'm fine."

It was the biggest lie she had ever told.

* * *

"You're sure you don't know?" asked Mori seriously.

"Yeah," said Vasilio. "I promise I don't. Have you talked to Taylor? Maybe he—."

"I already asked him. He said he doesn't know."

Claire heard the note of urgency in Mori's voice. She really wanted to know who sent the rose and the note.

"Maybe you should ask Sylvia," David suggested. "She, like, gave them out."

"I did that too," said Mori. "She said she doesn't know who sent it, and she wouldn't tell me even if she did."

They all glanced over at Claire, who was pretending to search her locker for a missing… something. She didn't know what she was pretending to do. And she felt herself blushing under Mori's intense gaze.

"She wouldn't tell," said Mori, lowering her voice.

"You can try," said Vasilio. "I'll ask her, if you want."

They whispered together for a moment. Claire couldn't take it anymore.

"What are you talking about?" she asked, trying to sound like she didn't know.

"It's none of your business," said Mori.

Claire flushed. She decided to persist.

"Is it about the… the valentine?"

Mori's eyes widened a little.

"Yeah," she said. "Yeah, it's… oh my gosh, you know who sent it."

Mori grabbed Claire by the sleeve. It was a strangely intimate act.

"Tell me," said Mori, lowering her voice to a whisper. "Please."

Claire's pulse was racing, She avoided Mori's dark eyes, but it didn't help.

"C'mon, I really wanna know," said Mori earnestly. "I won't tell them you told me."

Claire swallowed. She couldn't think of anything to say. Mori was bearing down on her—their faces were so close, Claire could smell the cherry of her lip gloss.

"I did," blurted Claire. "It was me."

Mori's face hardened. The expression in her eyes went from surprise, then to hurt, then to hatred.

"S-so this was your idea," said Mori, her voice trembling with fury, "Of a joke, huh? Just another way to m-make me feel…"

Claire's heart was racing. She wanted so badly to tell Mori the truth, that she thought she was pretty, and wonderful, and that she couldn't be happy apart from her. But she couldn't. Other kids were watching. Alibis, excuses, and explanations rushed through her mind. What could she say, now, to Mori, as she looked at her like that?

"Yeah," said Claire. "Something like that."

Mori clenched her teeth. Claire could see the tears welling in her eyes.

"I hate you," she choked. "I—."

She shoved Claire away and raced down the stairs. Claire couldn't move. She was so consumed by trying to hide her expression, hold back the tears. She dug her fingernails into her palms. Vasilio and David were staring at her.

"What?" she said.

She was surprised by the coldness in her own voice. It reminded her of someone. It reminded her of her dad.

* * *

Liam checked the clock on his PokeGear. It was long after midnight. He and Claire had been sitting in silence for a long time.

"It doesn't make me feel sorry for you," said Liam abruptly. "If that was what you were trying to do."

Claire showed no signs of hearing his words. She was watching the rain outside.

"Why did you send that valentine in the first place, anyways?"

Claire shrugged.

"I liked her, and I wanted to tell her."

"Then why did you lie?" said Liam.

Claire shrugged again.

"I don't know."

"Do you still..?" began Liam hesitantly.

Claire shook her head.

"No. Not for a long time. I got over it."

She turned her blue eyes back on Liam. He felt a pang of shame as he found himself admiring them. Mori was right—he needed help. His girl-craziness was out of control.

"So you're her friend, huh?" said Claire.

Liam nodded.

"So I guess there wasn't any way that… Nevermind."

"Nevermind what?" said Liam.

"There wasn't any way you would give me a chance."

Liam frowned.

"A chance to what?"

"To… help you understand."

Liam chuckled.

"What?" said Claire suspiciously.

"You know, I do like you a little more than when I first dragged you into this cave," he said with a smirk. "But only a little."

He picked up the belt of Pokeballs and passed it to Claire. She accepted it cautiously, as if sure he was about to snatch it away the moment she reached out.

"You can leave if you want," said Liam. "Or you can wait for the rain to stop. But if you stay, I might ask you more questions."

Claire was putting her belt back on.

"I'm only just getting dry," said Claire. "I'll wait."

Liam smirked.

"Okay, well I warned you," said Liam, trying to get comfortable against the uneven cave wall. "Why did you join Team Power?"

"Do we have to start with that?" said Claire.

"No," said Liam. "We can start with why you bullied Mori if you want."

Claire gave a sullen sniff.

"I joined Team Power because I respect my dad," said Claire.

"What does that mean?" said Liam.

"My dad… he runs Team Power," explained Claire reluctantly. "He's the Grandmaster."

"Wait," said Liam. "Didn't your dad used to be principal of the school? How did he go from that to running Team Power?"

"He's… well, like I said, I respect him. He was already working on Team Power even back then, before he got forced out."

"Forced out?" repeated Liam.

"Yeah," said Claire with a frown. "Didn't you know that? The parents and teachers ganged up on him. They said he was trying to micromanage everything. The owners fired him in the middle of the year. That was… why we left."

That certainly explained Claire's sudden departure halfway through the 8th grade year. Liam decided not to mention the obvious relief that all his classmates had felt.

"So what happened after that?"

Claire blinked.

"Ask something else."

"Fine," said Liam. "I'm guessing you're responsible for this downpour. How'd you manage it?"

Claire swelled with pride, as if Liam had asked a very flattering question.

"Cloudseed," she explained. "If you crush a Damp Rock into powder and launch it into the atmosphere, it's like a dozen Rain Dances all at once. Something my dad came up with."

"So how long will it last?"

Claire looked at her watch.

"I used more than you're supposed to," Claire confessed. "Cloudseed was made for farming, Nanzo gets really bad droughts, if you haven't noticed."

"I haven't, actually," said Liam. "Wait, so your dad made Cloudseed to help Nanzonese farmers?"

"Kind of," said Claire. "He made it to sell to the Nanzonese government, but they wouldn't pay what he deserved."

"Wait, so you're telling me your dad invented a way to solve Nanzo's drought problem, and he's just sitting on it because they wouldn't give him enough money?"

Claire's eyes hardened.

"You don't understand," she said bitterly. "He's going to use it. But only after Nanzo belongs to Team Power."

"Okay, here's my next question," said Liam, who was getting a little annoyed with Claire's attitude. "Do you really believe in what Team Power stands for?"

"Of course," said Claire. "Don't you see what Nanzo is like? The other Pokemon Teams are a joke! The Pokemon League is completely corrupt—look at the people Silas lets become gym leaders! Everything in Nanzo is so dirty, and chaotic, and—."

"Oh, I get it," Liam interrupted. "Moving to Nanzo gave you culture shock, and instead of accepting that Nanzo is different from Unova, you and your dad decided to take over Nanzo and force it to be Unova. So this Team Power thing is just a convenient excuse to—."

"Shut up!" shouted Claire. "My dad follows the ancient teachings of the School of Power. He's not some clueless foreigner. Nanzo looked a lot like it does now back when the School of Power first took over, and—."

"You know Team Power lost in the end, right?" said Liam. "Team Virtue beat them."

"After a hundred years!" Claire railed. "It took Team Virtue a whole century to pull together enough losers to—."

"You know Chez is part of Team Virtue now," said Liam.

Claire stopped mid-sentence. What Liam had intended as an offhand remark had taken her off-guard.

"No," Claire said. "I… I didn't know that."

She sighed and stared down at her feet.

"Can I tell you something else?" said Claire. "Something else you're not allowed to tell anyone?"

"Go ahead," said Liam.

Claire swallowed.

"I… miss having friends. I miss Chelsea, and Stephanie, and Rain… I know I shouldn't. I know I'm their enemy now. And when Team Power does take over Nanzo, I'll fight them if I have to. But…"

Claire rocked back and forth, digging her nails into her palms.

"I don't know why I told you that," she said in a hoarse voice.

They were both quiet for a long time.

"You know something, Claire?" said Liam at last. "I think… I think we would have been friends. If I had been at Everspring three years ago, and you—."

"I'm glad you weren't," said Claire. "I couldn't have told any of this to a friend. I like you better as a stranger."

Liam laughed.

"Rain's almost stopped," Liam observed as he climbed to his feet. "I'm gonna try and find my way back to camp. Why don't you come with me?"

Claire raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

"I think you're not happy with Team Power," said Liam bluntly. "So you should come with me and leave it behind."

Claire laughed bitterly.

"I can't do that," she said, simply, "Not anymore."

She followed him into the light drizzle outside. To the east, Liam saw the faintest hint of the coming dawn.

"Why?" said Liam. "Why can't you come back?"

"Do you really think any of them want me back?" she asked, pointedly.

Liam didn't know how to answer that.

"I do," said Liam. "I mean, I want you back. So that's one person."

Claire scoffed.

"That's because you've only ever known me as your enemy," said Claire, "It's different for the others."

"You're not my enemy right now," countered Liam, "And you don't have to be again."

Claire closed her eyes and shook her head.

"I need to go," she said, reaching for the first Pokeball on her belt, "And so do you. They're probably looking for you."

"If you change your mind," said Liam, "You know where I am."

"I won't," smiled Claire.

Liam shook his head.

"There's just one last thing," said Claire, after a long pause.

To Liam's surprise, Claire stood on tip-toe, put her arms around his neck, and kissed him forcefully and awkwardly on the mouth. Liam only had one other kiss to compare it to, but he was fairly confident most kisses didn't feel like two mouths crashing into each other and didn't end with a slight twinge of mutual hatred. It lasted only a moment, and before he had time to react, Claire had let go of him.

"I think I can safely say that will be our secret," she said, blushing, "Hey, what's your name, anyways?"

"Liam Holbrook," Liam stammered.

"Well goodbye, Liam Holbrook," said Claire. "It was fun being strangers. We're back to being enemies now."

Claire sent out her Braviary and climbed on its back.

"One last question," said Liam. "As strangers. Did you come all the way to Nanzo just to ruin Fall Camp?"

"Basically," Claire mumbled.

"That's Mori-level petty," said Liam with a mischievous smile.

Claire tugged at the reins of her Pokemon and soon both had disappeared into the swirling gray clouds overhead. He had never felt so emotionally confused in his life. Claire's returning to Team Power was inexplicable to him. Claire was proud, and sometimes cruel, but she lacked the true indifference Liam found in the classic texts of the School of Power. She cared a lot about others, even if just what they thought about her. Yet her devotion to Team Power hadn't wavered. She had gone back without a second thought.

"C'mon," said Liam, releasing his Murkrow from its Pokeball. "Let's find our way back."


	32. Chapter 32

"Oh, Liam!" cried Ruth, sliding down the muddy back to meet him. "Are you okay? Are you hurt? Everyone has been looking for—."

"Yeah, I'm fine Ruth," said Liam, feeling not-so-secretly pleased at how excited Ruth was to find him. Her round face was beaming with joy.

"Christine will be very happy to see you," said Ruth. "Everyone will."

"I'll be happy to see them too," said Liam with a weary smile.

Murkrow had led Liam back up the stream, now receding back to its old volume as the rain slowed. It took less than five minutes to make his way back to the eastern boundary of the camp, where Ruth had spotted him with her flashlight. The sun was finally rising, and although he was cold and wet, Liam felt relieved. It had been a very, very weird night. He was glad it was over.

"Oh, thank Arceus," said Miss Snyder as Ruth led Liam back into camp. "Liam, are you okay? Where have you been? We almost called the Everspring police."

"Sorry to worry you," said Liam. "I fell in the river last night and got swept downstream. I spent the night in a cave waiting for the rain to stop. I only just got back."

"Wait, you fell in the stream?" said Miss Snyder, narrowing her eyes. "What were you doing near the stream in the middle of the night during a storm?"

Liam flushed.

"Well, when you put it that way it does sound… kinda stupid," Liam granted. "I was out helping the people that lost their tent, and I thought I saw someone standing by the river. I ran to see who it was, and I slipped in the mud and went straight into the water."

Liam looked warily at Miss Snyder, wondering if the lie would take.

"Well, that was stupid, but at least you were trying to help," said Miss Snyder with an exhausted sigh. "Ruth, go get Stephanie, and tell her to bring the First Aid kit. Let's make sure our human Swampert here didn't get hurt."

Ruth nodded and scurried away in search of Stephanie. Miss Snyder gestured for Liam to sit on a plastic stool beside her tent.

"When did you notice I was gone?" asked Liam casually.

"Taylor and Vasilio woke up Professor Wort around midnight," said Miss Snyder. "Me and the girls got involved around two in the morning."

Liam checked his PokeGear.

"5:05," said Miss Snyder. "And yes, we have been looking the whole time."

She yawned.

"We're sending everyone home after breakfast," Miss Snyder continued. "So as soon as Stephanie patches you up, go and pack up your things."

"Wait, sending everyone home?" said Liam in alarm. "Just because I was missing for a few hours?"

Miss Snyder rolled her eyes.

"Believe it or not, Liam, not everything is about you," said Miss Snyder. "We're going home because of the rain."

"But the rain's done," Liam countered.

"Yes, and everything is still soaked," said Miss Snyder. "Including the ground, the grass, the tents, the students, the Pokemon, and me. So we're going home. Get used to it."

Liam didn't really know why he was arguing—going home to a warm bed and a change of clothes sounded amazing. If anything, he was relieved. But cancelling Fall Camp still felt like a victory for Claire, and he didn't like that.

"Oh, there you are!"

Stephanie had arrived with the First Aid kit under her arm. She immediately set to work examining Liam with the nonchalance of a trained physician—her parents were doctors, after all. Liam tried his best to act normal as Stephanie studied him with her beautiful sea-green eyes and felt around for bruises and scrapes. As she touched the side of his head, Liam winced.

"Did you hit your head?" she asked.

"I think so, yeah," said Liam.

Stephanie took an Icy Rock out of the First Aid kit and wrapped it in a rag.

"Hold this to the bruise," said Stephanie.

Liam did as he was told. With Stephanie this close, he didn't trust himself to express himself coherently.

"Oh my gosh!"

Chelsea and Marsha came sprinting up to Miss Snyder's tent. Before Liam knew what was happening, Chelsea had shoved Stephanie aside and nearly tackled him off the stool.

"You're not dead!" she squealed. "You're not dead, you're not dead, you're not dead!"

"C-correct," Liam choked.

"Chelsea, please let Liam go," laughed Stephanie. "He needs to rest."

"What happened?" said Chelsea. "I was afraid you had been kidnapped by Team Power or something."

Chelsea's intuition was so near the mark it almost made Liam suspicious.

"I just fell in the river," he mumbled. "It was my own fault."

"See, I told you."

Vasilio and Taylor, both wet and shivering, grinned down at Liam from over Chelsea's shoulder.

"Taylor bet me 500 Pokedollars you had been eaten by a wild Ursaring," said Vasilio. "I thought you probably did something dumb because of a girl."

"Well, you were closer," said Liam, wincing as he pressed the Icy Rock against his bruise. "Sorry, guys."

"We are glad you are safe and healthy," said Marsha.

"Me too," said Liam.

* * *

"You let her go?" said Mori in disbelief.

"Well, yeah," said Liam. "What did you expect me to do, beat up a girl?"

It was Monday, and Liam had finally found the time to bring Mori and Vasilio up to date with what really happened the night of Fall Camp. Without mentioning the kiss, of course.

"He's got a point, Mori," said Vasilio. "Liam would have had to overpower her and drag her all the way back to camp by himself."

"I would've done it," said Mori sullenly.

"Well, I'm not you," said Liam.

He took a large bite of fried noodles.

"So, what did you think of her?" asked Mori.

"Stubborn," said Liam. "And petty. Very self-pitying."

"That all checks out," said Vasilio, whacking Mori's hand with his chopsticks as she tried to steal his meat.

"But also… I dunno. She's human to me now, I guess."

"She's not human," said Mori. "She's some kind of blonde demon-spawn."

Liam laughed.

"She does have a heart, believe it or not," he said. "I could tell what happened to Chelsea's Scraggy really bugs her. Turns out they used to be friends. I never knew that."

"They were, yeah," said Vasilio. "Not… close friends. I don't know if Claire had any close friends. She was too abrasive."

"Abrasive!" said Liam, jabbing his chopsticks appreciatively at Vasilio. "That's the other word I was looking for."

"Understatement of the year," said Mori. "I don't think anybody ever liked her. I know I never did. Even from the first day, something was off."

Liam wondered for a moment whether he should break his promise to Claire and tell her about the valentine. He decided not to. He knew it wouldn't change Mori's feelings about Claire, but something else was holding him back. Telling Mori would feel like a betrayal. That was an odd thought. You couldn't betray an enemy.

Claire, Liam realized with alarm, was his friend.

"So, now for the real question," said Vasilio with a grin. "Was she pretty?"

Mori's Misdreavus gave a gleeful cackle as her trainer fixed Liam with her intense gaze. Liam squirmed in his seat.

"Okay, so she is pretty," said Liam, raising his hands defensively. "I mean, she's no Stephanie, and I don't really like blondes, but... "

"You're disgusting," said Mori, rolling her eyes, "All boys are disgusting."

"C'mon, Mori," said Vasilio, giving her a flick. "Give us another chance."

Misdreavus stuck her tongue out at Liam.

* * *

As they were walking back from lunch, Mori suddenly pulled Liam aside.

"Keep walking, Vasi," snapped Mori as Vasilio glanced at them curiously. "This has nothing to do with you."

Vasilio shrugged and did as she asked. Mori glanced around to make sure no one else was within earshot, then fixed her large, dark eyes on Liam.

"Don't feel sorry for her," Mori whispered. "You're not allowed to feel sorry for her."

"I don't—Mori, I know Claire was horrible to you," said Liam earnestly. "Don't think just because I didn't leave her to drown that—."

"You don't get it," said Mori. "You don't…"

She gave an exasperated groan.

"Mori, I've seen the things she wrote to you," said Liam. "I know about the way she humiliated you. I'm really not—."

Liam noticed that Mori was fidgeting with her left sleeve.

"Don't make me do this," Mori pleaded. "I can tell. I can tell you don't understand, and you're gonna make me—."

"Mori, what's going on?" said Liam. "Are you—."

Mori rolled up her sleeve. Turning away from Liam, she held out her bare forearm.

"Look," said Mori. "Just… look."

At first, Liam didn't know what he was looking at. Then, he noticed them—pinkish marks, like small scratches, crisscrossing Mori's arm from her wrist to her elbow. Most of them were faded—barely noticeable except at close range. A few were long and dark, and Liam wondered just how long they had been healing.

"Mori…" said Liam. "I…"

She rolled her sleeve back up.

"Do you understand now?" said Mori. "She wanted me to do it. Don't forget that. Don't think for a moment that she's just misunderstood. She told me I deserved it. She wanted me to hurt myself."

Liam didn't know what to say.

"Don't feel sorry for me, by the way," said Mori. "I'm not some kind of broken emo girl who needs to be saved or anything like that."

Liam snorted.

"A few weeks ago, Vasilio told me that something started for you after Claire's… valentine. Was he talking about.. ?"

"Yeah," said Mori. "I started cutting then. And you don't have to tiptoe around that word, by the way. I cut myself sometimes. Surprise, surprise. Gothy girl with daddy issues living up to the stereotype. I should take up some really out-of-character hobby to balance it out."

"How about basketball?" suggested Liam.

"Ew, not sports," said Mori. "Crap, I'm already off to a bad start."

They caught up with Vasilio at the school's main gate.

"So you showed him?" said Vasilio.

Mori merely nodded.

"Can I tell him the rest?" Vasilio asked.

"Sure," said Mori listlessly.

Vasilio lowered his voice.

"Mori has a deal with me and Taylor that if she ever starts cutting or thinking about killing herself, she'll switch her ring to her right hand. Now it's your deal too. Right, Mori?"

Mori shrugged.

"Welcome to the goth girl surveillance regime, I guess."

"I get the feeling this is kind of an honor," said Liam. "So thanks, Mori."

"Don't let it go to your head," said Mori. "Oh, and if you tell anyone about… this, I'll tell Missy to eat your soul. So keep your mouth shut, especially around that nosy redhead. I don't wanna get suspended again."

The bell signalled the end of the lunch break rang.

"Ugh," Mori groaned. "Battle Class. Liam, you wanna go missing again so we can skip?"

"I don't think it works like that," said Liam with a smirk.


	33. Chapter 33

Claire drummed her fingers impatiently on the arm of her chair. Her father was talking—laying out his plan for the exploitation of Shizo in preparation for the invasion of the Nanzo region. Specifics for the latter eventuality still weren't forthcoming, at least not for Claire. She had a suspicion she was one of the only admins in the conference room that didn't know what her father was planning.

"You're right," said a voice.

Claire looked around, but no one appeared to have addressed her. She wondered if she had somehow imagined the voice in her boredom.

"Over here," said the voice.

Claire felt her head jerked to the side by an invisible force—pointed against her will at Rasmus, who was sitting a few seats to her left. He was wearing the same fur coat, watching the Grandmaster with apparent disinterest. His hooked nose gave even this neutral expression a hint of cruelty. He didn't acknowledge Claire, but she knew immediately it was his voice that she was hearing.

"I don't blame him," came Rasmus' voice in her head. "After all, with your impetuousness…"

It may have just been her mind playing tricks on her, but Claire could almost feel Rasmus crawling around in her head. It was a deeply uncomfortable sensation.

"Your trip to Nanzo has been bothering you. Your conversation with that boy… you found friendship in an unexpected place."

"Shit," thought Claire. So Rasmus knew. Of course he knew. Nothing was secret with someone like him. She scolded herself for ever going in the first place—it was stupid. A pointless act of defiance. Now, she had been found out. If Rasmus told the Grandmaster…

"Don't tell my dad," thought Claire desperately. "Please. If you tell him I went, I'll… he'll kill me."

Rasmus was watching Grandmaster with an unreadable expression. Claire did her best to conceal the feeling of panic washing over her. Her heart was pounding painfully fast. What if Rasmus exposed her now, in front of everyone?

"Don't worry," said the voice in her head. "I never tell anyone anything without a good reason."

Claire relaxed a little, and pretended to busy herself with the memo on the conference table. She hoped her sudden interest in logistics wouldn't catch her father's attention. When she heard him say her name, she gave a slight jump.

"...Admin Claire will focus on training our current forces," said the Grandmaster. "In preparation for our next move, Admin Zhang and Quartermaster Erwin will work with the Rocket remnant in Sinnoh to…"

He hadn't noticed anything. If anything, he hadn't so much as glanced at her when he mentioned her name. And he was still carefully avoiding saying anything concrete about the plans for Nanzo with her at the table. Claire took a deep breath and collected her thoughts.

"So," said Claire, figuring that Rasmus must still be reading her mind, "you know everything the Grandmaster knows, right?"

Without looking at her, Rasmus gave a slight nod.

"Including his plans for Nanzo?"

Rasmus nodded again.

"But he hasn't told you?"

"He knows he doesn't have to," said the voice in her head. "He would be a fool if he thought he could keep any secrets from me."

Claire blushed at what she took to be a reflection on her own rashness. Rasmus looked over at her for the first time. The psychic studied her face with a bemused expression, then turned his eyes back to the Grandmaster.

"You're quite different from your father," Rasmus mused. "I see the family resemblance, but… he's right. You're more like your mother."

Claire bit her tongue. He was just toying with her now.

"What's the point?" thought Claire. "What are you after?"

The Grandmaster's voice stopped mid-sentence. Looking around, Claire realized that everyone, from her father at the head of the table to the Grunts guarding the door, had fallen completely still—frozen in time like the Terracotta soldiers buried with the first Grandmaster of Power. Everyone, of course, except Rasmus. He leaned towards Claire in a confidential way, and she noticed an odd smile playing around his lips.

"It's easier to talk this way," Rasmus said aloud. "They won't hear anything. You want to know about the Grandmaster's plans for Nanzo? Well I'll tell you. Team Power is infiltrating Nanzo. Slowly building up forces on the inside. When the blow comes, it comes from within. Use this information however you like."

"Why… why did you tell me?" asked Claire suspiciously.

Being surrounded by a living wax museum made her feel uncomfortable and vulnerable. Rasmus, she knew, wasn't someone to give something or nothing. He also wasn't afraid to take whatever he wanted.

"Because you're going to help me," said Rasmus. "The boy you met in Nanzo? He trusts you. I want you to use that for me. Can you do that?"

Claire felt a horrible sensation in her stomach.

"Okay," she said. "I… I'll do whatever you want."

"Good," said Rasmus. "You'll go back to Nanzo when I tell you to. Until then, stay here. Do whatever the Grandmaster commands."

Claire's eyes darted to her father's face. His mouth was hanging open, and she could see saliva dribbling from the corner of his mouth. It made her angry to see him like this.

"It's funny," said Rasmus. "You've read all the ancient texts of the School of Power, but you still don't understand why your father doesn't respect you. Don't you remember the Classic of Statecraft? 'The ruler is ignorant who desires the love of his subordinates—the trainer is foolish who craves the affection of his Pokemon.' Learn to hate him, Claire. He doesn't want your devotion."

Claire rounded on Rasmus. He was playing with her again, showing off his power by exposing her deepest insecurities. She wasn't going to go along with his sick games any longer than she had to. But as she bared her teeth at him, she noticed something surprising: Rasmus's breathing was shallow and quick, and his skin was growing paler. Even after all these weeks, such a dramatic demonstration of his psychic powers was draining him. That made Claire feel safer.

Even Rasmus had his limits.

All at once, the conference room came back to life. No one showed any suspicion of what had just happened—no one but the Grandmaster. He paused for a moment as he wiped his mouth, glanced at Rasmus, then continued. It was an almost imperceptible moment of realization, but Claire knew her father. Even if he didn't know for certain, he suspected. She got up and excused herself. There was nothing unusual about this—Admins came and went from briefings all the time, but Claire felt self-conscious as she pushed her way past the door guards and out into the empty corridor. She wanted to get away from Rasmus—to get so far away from him that her thoughts would be her own again.

She decided to take a ride on her Braviary. She hoped Rasmus couldn't follow her into the skies.


	34. Chapter 34

"Mr. Holbrook, please wait for a moment," said Professor Werner.

Liam froze halfway to the door of the Tactics classroom. With a resigned sigh, he waved to Mori and Vasilio and walked back to Professor Werner's desk, where the teacher was grading the quizzes he and his classmates had just turned in.

"This isn't about the quiz," said Werner, without looking up. "Please, sit down."

Liam pulled over a nearby chair and sat down across from Professor Werner, waiting for him to finish his work. He knew better than to express any impatience—Werner operated at his own methodical pace, and no student was going to set that pace for him. Finally, Werner set down his pencil and put away the quizzes in his grading tray.

"Mr. Choi has just informed me that due to his senior service project, he will be unable to commit to any further leadership responsibilities in Team Virtue for the rest of this semester. I've been expecting this for some time, and I understand his reasons. This means that, beginning this week, you have seniority within Team Virtue. Congratulations."

"Uh, thanks," said Liam. "What does… that mean?"

Werner gave a grim smile.

"It means I'll be expecting even more of you during the next quarter. I think it's time we turn our focus away from battling and back to the fundamental principles of the School of Virtue. You will assist me in instructing the younger initiates."

"Okay," said Liam.

He sensed that Werner still hadn't reached his point.

"I want you to read this," said Werner, setting a weathered copy of _The Analects_ on the desk between them. "Study the sayings of Grandmaster Kong. Meditate on the ideals of the School of Virtue. Don't try to apply them to battle. Start with the essentials. On Thursday, I want you to be ready to explain _The Analects_' most important passages to the other initiates."

Liam gave a heavy sigh.

"Professor Werner, I have a test in PokeChem that day. I'm not gonna have time to—."

"Then read it tonight," said Werner in his gravelly voice. "Focus on the first ten chapters. It's not a long book."

"I'll try," said Liam, taking the book and putting it carefully into his canvas messenger bag.

"Do better than that," growled Werner.

* * *

"I see Jacob has you reading _The Analects_," said Professor Shrike.

"Yeah," said Liam. "I'm supposed to read the first ten chapters in the next two days. I don't know if that's gonna happen."

Professor Shrike smiled.

"You know, if you really want to understand _The Analects_, you need to read them in context," Shrike pointed out. "Not to give you more homework, but I've got a book on the Spring and Autumn Period on my shelf. Let me grab it for you."

Liam liked Professor Shrike. She was the youngest teacher in the high school, with black hair, high cheekbones, and an ironical arch to her right eyebrow. She wore bright red lipstick, and a different dress shirt and tie every today. Today, her tie was bright blue with a Manectric pattern.

"Here you go."

She set a thick book titled _Social Crisis and Pokemon Philosophy in the Spring and Autumn Period_ on Liam's desk.

"That's… long," Liam observed.

"You don't have to read it cover to cover," Professor Shrike explained. "Most history books don't work like that. Check the table of contents or the index, and just read the parts that are helpful. Good luck."

"Thanks," said Liam.

He put the book in his bag on top of Werner's book. This was becoming quite the project.

* * *

"How long is it until break, anyways?" asked Liam as he flipped through _The Analects_.

Liam had caught the first bus back to New Court with Vasilio, Mori, and the others. He usually was in no hurry to get home, but with all the reading Werner and Shrike had piled onto him, he figured he needed an early start.

"Check the calendar in your student handbook," suggested Vasilio.

Mori, who had already wormed her way into an open seat, gave a snort.

"Yeah, like Liam carries around his student handbook," said Mori. "Fall break is—."

"Wait," interrupted Vasilio. "Liam has never seen Liz do the thing. Hey Liz, we need your expertise."

"Hmm?"

Liz had been standing near the back of the bus, chatting with some older students.

"Liam wants to know when our next break is."

"Aha," said Liz, her eyes lighting up. "Listen and learn, young Mr. Holbrook."

Liz pushed her way to the part of the bus where Vasilio and Liam were standing.

"This is the Year of the Tauros," Liz began. "So the New Year began on… January 26th. That means Mid-Autumn Festival falls…"

She counted on her fingers.

"...during National Holiday, aka fall break. Tough luck for all of us."

"So how does that answer my question?" said Liam.

"National Day holiday always starts on October 1st," Liz explained. "It's one of the only holidays that doesn't run on the lunar calendar. Mid-Autumn Festival usually comes before National holiday, but this year it's late. So National holiday's our next break."

Vasilio and Mori gave Liz a mock applause as she made an exaggerated curtsey.

"Liz is the only foreigner I've ever met that has a working lunar calendar in her head," said Vasilio. "She likes to show it off when she gets a chance."

"Okay, I get that," said Liam. "But, uh… when is October 1st?"

Mori rolled her eyes.

"Next Thursday, dork," she said, flicking Liam's unusually hard on the thigh. "And speaking of which… how's it going with the parental authorities, Vasi?"

Vasilio grimaced.

"I'll walk back with you today and work on your dad again. I think I'm close."

Mori laughed.

"Good luck," she said as she put her headphones on.

* * *

"You're lucky you can't read," said Liam as he stroked his Espeon's fur. "Because if you can, people never stop giving you new things to read, and then you never have free time again."

It was late, and Liam was lying on the bottom bunk of his bed, reading by his bed lamp. His Murkrow was dozing on his bookshelf. Sneasel was perched on the top bunk, its eyes following the distant lights of passing cars outside the darkened window. He had made it through the first five chapters of _The Analects_, with occasional references to the history book Professor Shrike had given him. It turned out to be an interested read, not least since Werner had left several decades worth of notes in the margins. But now, all the words were blurring together, and Liam found himself fantasizing about a long night's sleep.

His PokeGear buzzed.

_Blue or green?_

It was Orchid. Liam smiled to himself as he typed back his reply.

_Green sounds good._

His PokeGear buzzed again.

_Okay._

Liam chuckled. Orchid wasn't much more talkative by text than she was in person. Still, he was glad to be going to Winter Ball with her. Vasilio, Mori, Chelsea, and just about everyone else had been quizzing him about his feelings for Orchid ever since she had asked him to the Ball. He tried to be honest.

"Orchid's cute," he had told Mori. "And you'd like her if you got to know her."

"That sounds like you want my approval," Mori retorted.

Liam laughed.

"I'm not there yet. I'm not saying I never will be. I don't even know if she… I'm taking it as it comes."

Liam had been impressed by his own level-headedness. Mori was still suspicious. He couldn't blame her. His record with girls was against him.

His PokeGear buzzed again.

_Goodnight._

Liam snapped _The Analects_ shut and set the book on his shelf. He had read enough to know getting to bed on time would have been a virtue to Grandmaster Kong. Ancient Pokemon philosophy could wait until tomorrow. Liam picked up his PokeGear one more time.

_Goodnight, Orchid._

He set his alarm, nudged Espeon to move over, and closed his eyes.


	35. Chapter 35

Liam could tell something was wrong the moment he stepped through the school gate. He had slept through his first alarm, and only just managed to catch the bus outside White Gardens before it pulled away. He had been late enough that there was no one else he knew on the bus except Parker, an older student Liam didn't know well enough to make conversation with, and that had been fine with him. Liam spent the ride to school listening to his iPod and glancing anxiously at his PokeGear. He didn't want a tardy, and he was cutting it close.

Now he was paying for his lateness. Something had happened, or was happening, and Liam couldn't figure out what. The other students looked shocked and upset, and most were talking only in low voices. A few students were in tears. Liam looked around desperately for someone he knew, someone who could explain to him—.

The bell rang.

Liam joined the slow-moving cluster of students heading towards the school building's main entrance. He listened as hard as he could, trying to catch a hint of what was going on. He caught a few stray phrases—"I can't believe it." "Are they gonna cancel classes?" "I didn't find out until this morning."—but nothing that told him anything useful. As he passed through the school doors, he noticed that the atrium was set for an all-school assembly. He desperately needed to find someone. With relief, he spotted Mori and Vasilio sitting in their usual spots near the back.

"What's going on?" Liam whispered as he took the seat next to Mori. "I just got here. Everyone looks so—."

Mori turned her large, black eyes on Liam. Her expression was sympathetic. She opened her mouth, bit her lip, then shook her head dejectedly.

"Vasi, you… you tell him," Mori said.

Vasilio gave an uncomfortable cough.

"Liam..." he began, but at that moment Principal Kahakai climbed onto the stage at the far end of the atrium, and the entire student body fell silent. Liam noticed with a thrill of fear that she was wearing all black.

"I have very, very sad news," said Principal Kahakai. "Yesterday afternoon, Professor Jacob Werner, our Pokemon Tactics and Strategy teacher, suffered—."

Her voice faltered. Miss Snyder put a hand on Principal Kahakai's shoulder. She wiped her eyes and continued.

"Suffered a heart attack. He passed away before medical help could arrive."

Liam felt himself going numb. His heart was pounding, and a ringing in his ears drowned out the murmurs and gasps. He wanted to cry, wanted to scream—but he couldn't. He felt Mori's hand clasping his. Principal Kahakai was still talking, but he couldn't hear a word.

He tried to tell himself it made sense. Professor Werner was old—"old enough to remember two Pokemon wars," as he liked to say whenever he excused himself from school events. But that didn't make it better. Nothing did. Nothing could.

Principal Kahakai had finished whatever she was saying and exchanged places with Miss Snyder, who was addressing the student body with the kind of firm sympathy she was so good at offering.

"I understand this is hard for everyone," said Miss Snyder. "It's okay to be sad, it's okay to cry, It's okay if you need to talk to someone. For the sake of the school, we're going to go ahead with classes as usual today. If you don't feel like you're up to it, please talk to an adult. We will understand. I'll be taking over Jacob's… Professor Werner's classes for the time being. Does anyone have any questions?"

Apart from a few dry sobs, the students were silent.

"Okay," she said. "You can go."

Liam heard the scraping of chairs and the low mumble of departing students around him, but he didn't look up. He was staring at his shoes. Mori was leaning on his shoulder in an affectionate way. Vasilio gave a long sigh.

"I'm gonna go to Lit," he said. "I'd rather have… something to do than just sit here."

"I can stay," Mori offered, but Liam shook his head.

"I think I'll… I'll go with you guys," said Liam, his voice wavering.

Liam climbed unsteadily to his feet and pulled his bag over his shoulder. He felt the book Werner had given him in the outer pocket. It made his stomach feel sick. He wondered for a moment if he really could go with his friends.

Then he heard it—a visceral, retching sob coming from two rows in front of them. Liam didn't didn't have to look. He realized who it was at once.

"Chez."

Chelsea Whitaker was on the floor—her entire body trembling with overwhelming grief. Marsha, Orchid, and the other freshman girls were watching helplessly. Liam remembered feeling like that. Back in the Pokemon Center last spring, he hadn't known what to say as Chelasea wept over the death of her Pokemon. Cass had taken care of it. Cass had always taken care of everything.

She was his responsibility now.

"Chelsea," said Liam, kneeling beside her. "I…"

He saw at once that words could do nothing. Chelsea's grief was beyond them. There was only one thing she could understand, and that was presence.

"Chez, can I—?"

He touched her on the shoulder. That was all it took—Chelsea almost lunged at Liam, burying her face in his chest as she gasped and sobbed. Liam stroked her hair affectionately, losing himself in her tangled curls. He felt her tears and makeup smearing his sweater.

Liam hadn't cried yet. He had mourned, raged, disbelieved—but with Chelsea this close, with her anguish this deep, he found himself crying with her. They mourned for Professor Werner together. And, though neither of them acknowledged it with words, they mourned Chelsea's Scraggy again—as friends instead of strangers.

* * *

Liam was surprised to find so many students at the afternoon's Team Virtue meeting. He had secretly hoped he would be alone—hoped that he could just turn around and go home to be alone with his misery. But they were all there. Chelsea, Jera, Aziz, Orchid—all in their usual seats. Waiting. Liam avoided their eyes as he walked to the far end of the tent—the place where Professor Werner always stood. He took Werner's place and stared at his shoes. He didn't have anything to say.

Almost automatically, he took Werner's copy of _The Analects_ out of his bag. He had promised the professor he would teach from the book. He flipped to the first page and started to read:

"Isn't it pleasing to learn with endurance and fortitude? Is there anything more wonderful than a visit from old friends? Who but a trainer of perfect virtue can stand to be overlooked and ignored."

His voice trembled. The words didn't feel right. He flipped to another chapter and found a passage Professor Werner had underlined in black pen.

"A disciple asked of the master, 'What will cause my Pokemon to revere me, to be faithful to me, and to battle without fear or error?' The Master answered: 'Let him instruct them with all seriousness—then they will respect him. Let him be loving and kind to them—then they will be faithful. Let him reward their good actions and teach them in their failures—then they will battle with virtue."

Liam looked up from the book. They were all standing in front of him, resolve etched on their faces.

"Can we do it?" said Liam. "Can we live by those words… without him?"

"Absolutely," said Jera with confidence.

"Team Power's still out there," said Chelsea. "We need to stand up to them."

Liam gave a weak smile.

"Professor Werner wanted us to go back to the basics," he said, holding up the book. "Learn the ideals behind the theory. So I'm gonna go with that. Put the virtue into Team Virtue. I don't know if I can be a leader, but… until we get someone else, I'll follow our old master's lead. If you'll follow me."

"Sheesh, you're s-so… dramatic," said Orchid, rolling her eyes. "B-but, sure. Professor Werner would w-want it to be… you."

Liam felt his face reddening.

"Don't let it go to your head, bro," said Chelsea. "But you're the leader now. Try and be… virtuous, and all that. We're counting on you."

Liam couldn't help himself. He started to cry again. Only these weren't tears of grief. They were the tears of someone who felt brave enough to do something without fear. He knew they were doing exactly what Professor Werner would have wanted. They were honoring their old master.

That was a good first step.


	36. Chapter 36

Professor Werner was buried on a hillside outside of Everspring in a traditional Nanzonese tomb. It was a beautiful place, with a sweeping view of glistening rice fields and green mountains. The funeral was held in the morning, and Liam was a little surprised by the number of people he found there. Students, staff, family members—even dignitaries from the Nanzonese government were all in attendance. It made Liam realize just how much more there was to Professor Werner than he had seen in the past year at Everspring.

Not even a year, Liam reminded himself. He had known Professor Werner for less than 10 months. And the more he listened to the stories the family members and old friends told, the more he realized what a brief time that had really been.

Jacob Werner seemed to have been everywhere, done everything, and met everyone. He was the oldest breed of third-culture kid. Born in Nanzo to Unovan missionaries, he was the only child with blonde hair for a hundred miles. Nanzonese culture was his culture—even more than the culture of his parents. He flew with Unovan pilots in the Flying Incineroars, but only to save his homeland from the Kantonian Empire. He mastered the teachings of the School of Virtue, then put them into practice as he wandered the world as a young Pokemon trainer. He had married a woman from Ferrum, raised his children in Alola, and spent the Third Pokemon War in an internment camp in Kanto. He had battled the greatest trainers of the modern age—Agatha, Pryce, Diantha. He had seen Pokemon so rare they were dismissed as legends. He had established himself as one of the greatest living practitioners of Pokemon battling.

Then, after everything, he returned to Nanzo, took up a position in the Elite Four, and began teaching the next generation of Pokemon trainers. Even after he stepped down from the Elite Four, he had never given up on teaching. When Everspring Academy grew from a large homeschool co-op to a genuine school, he had accepted its offer to teach Tactics without hesitation.

Liam spent a long time staring at the stone edifice of Professor Werner's tomb. He couldn't bring himself to look at Werner's body—it made him feel sick—but now he was sealed away in the earth. Liam had found closure earlier than he expected.

"Well, Professor," said Liam quietly. "I'll do my best. I know you always wanted more than that, so I hope that isn't too disappointing."

Liam closed his eyes and prayed. When he opened them, he noticed a man standing next to him in a dark green military uniform. He was old—perhaps as old as Professor Werner had been—with deep wrinkles on his brown face. He smiled pleasantly at Liam in the way older people often did when they saw a foreigner.

"There are many foreign students here," the man observed. "Jacob must have been well-respected."

"He was," said Liam. "He… we all looked up to him."

The old man gave an understanding smile.

"He was a brave man."

Liam nodded. They were both silent for a moment.

"How… uh, how did you know Professor Werner?" asked Liam hesitantly.

The old man laughed. His pleasure at the question took Liam off-guard.

"We flew together for Colonel Chandler," he said. "In the Kantonian War. He became a Pokemon trainer, I remained a soldier."

"You were in the Nanzonese army?"

The old man nodded.

"Jing!"

An elderly and elegant Nanzonese woman embraced the old man, kissing him on the cheek. His face lit up as he recognized her.

"Madame Chandler," he exclaimed. "Ah, there is no face I would have rather seen at the graveside of our dear friend."

He gave a formal bow.

"Is this one of Jacob's students?" asked Madame Chandler.

Liam nodded.

"I'm Liam Holbrook," he said, trying hard to be polite in front of these (evidently) important adults. "Professor Werner was my mentor."

"This is Mrs. Anna Chandler, the wife of the late Colonel Chandler," said Jing.

Madame Chandler offered Liam her hand, which he shook awkwardly. He was a little in awe. Ever since he had first seen Colonel Chandler's hawk-like countenance on an old photo on the wall of Wei's Pizzaria, Liam had been reading everything he could find about the Flying Incineroars. He wondered what, if anything, he could say.

"Your husband… was a hero," Liam stammered. "It's an honor to meet you."

Madame Chandler gave a graceful smile, but Jing clearly found Liam's apparent embarrassment amusing.

"Jacob taught them to respect their elders, at least," said Jing with a laugh.

"We're not all as old as you, general," said Madame Chandler.

Jing appeared to concede the point.

"Was Jacob still holding on to that old bird?" Jing asked Liam. "The one with the broken wing?"

"You mean his Skarmory? I saw him battle with it a few months ago. He won, even with the bad wing."

"You didn't think he would really let go of it, Jing?" said Madame Chandler teasingly. "You still have your Pokemon from the war, don't you?"

Jing detached an old-fashioned Apricorn ball from his belt and showed it to Liam and Madame Chandler.

"My old Dragonite. This Pokemon took down more Kantonian planes than our finest pilot."

He returned it to his belt.

"Professor Werner's daughter is gonna take care of his Skarmory," said Liam, pointing towards a thin, dark-haired woman that was talking to Principal Kahakai.

"Ah, I must go and speak to Jacob's daughter," said Madame Chandler. "It was nice to meet you, Liam."

Liam bowed as the general and Madame Chandler excused themselves and moved on. He was more than a little in awe. Even in death, Professor Werner continued to connect him to Nanzo's remarkable past.

* * *

"You ready, bro?"

It was almost noon. The mourners were gradually departing, leaving just a few students and family members. Chelsea Whitaker's mascara was smeared and her eyes were red, but she was smiling. Liam reminded himself that this was the second burial she had attended this year. She had been through all of this before when she sent Scraggy to Celestial Tower.

"Give me a second," said Liam. "I got a few more things to say to him."

Chelsea tilted her head curiously.

"Mind if I hear what you say?"

Liam flushed. He couldn't think of a good reason to say no, especially not to Chelsea, but he was embarrassed by what he was planning to say.

"S-sure," said Liam. "If you… yeah."

He sighed. Carefully avoiding Chelsea's gaze, he fixed his eyes on the stone slab engraved with Professor Werner's name in Unovan letters and Nanzonese characters.

"I'll take care of Chelsea, Professor. I know that was important to you, even if you didn't show it. I'll make sure nothing happens to her."

He looked back at Chelsea. Her face had gone very red.

"You said that just to mess with me."

"I promise I was already going to say that," said Liam. "Really."

Chelsea shifted uncomfortably. Liam wondered if she had read more into his words than he had intended.

"Chez, I didn't—."

"Liam, I'm not a kid," said Chelsea seriously. "I'm not that girl who couldn't stand up for herself. I don't want you as a protector. I want a friend. Okay?"

Liam felt incredibly stupid. He realized immediately that Chelsea was right—she wasn't the crying, helpless middle-schooler he remembered from last year. Everything she had been through had made her strong. She was still immature—she was a freshman, after all—but he wasn't being of any help to her by treating her like something to protect.

"Okay," said Liam. "I… Sorry. You're right. I was just… thinking of last semester. But you can handle yourself."

"That's all fine, bro," said Chelsea. "But… I think you're missing the point."

Liam thought for a moment.

"Thanks for being my friend, Chez," said Liam.

Chelsea grinned.

"That was it," she said. "C'mon, the van is waiting, and I wanna go get burgers or something. I'm starving."

Liam took one last look at Werner's grave and, with a sigh, followed Chelsea to the van. He noticed that the younger members of Team Virtue were looking at him anxiously as they pulled away and began the long journey back into town. Liam tried his best to look confident, even if he didn't know what to say. He felt like he was already messing up as a leader, but he had good friends to set him right when he did.

That made everything feel okay.


	37. Chapter 37

From:VengeanceOfSneasel

To:CassInTheCleods91

Subject: Professor Werner

_Hi Cass,_

_I don't know if anyone has told you yet but… Professor Werner died on Wednesday. He had a heart attack and fell down the stairs on his way to a staff meeting. The burial was today. I don't really know what to tell you about it other than it was hard, but not as hard as I expected. Chelsea took it really hard, but she's tough. More tough than I am, I think._

* * *

Liam's whole desk rattled, making him jump. He still hadn't gotten used to the abrupt and violent buzzing of his PokeGear every time he received a text message. Feeling a little annoyed, Liam picked up his PokeGear and checked his message inbox.

_I found something you'll wanna see._

It was Vasilio. Liam wasn't sorry to have an excuse to finish his email to Cass later, but he wasn't sure how Vasilio was going to show him anything by text message.

_What?_

His PokeGear buzzed again.

_Look out your window._

Liam got up from his desk and walked to the window on the far end of his narrow, rectangular bedroom. Seven floors below, he saw Vasilio waving up at him. His friend was wearing a gray beanie over his white hair, and he had his skateboard under his arm. Liam opened his window and leaned out.

"Bring your scooter!" called Vasilio. "And some money. I promise you won't regret it."

Liam gave Vasilio a thumbs up. Within a few minutes, he had collected his Pokeballs, stuffed his wallet in his pocket, put on his Team Virtue jacket, and met his friend outside.

"What's up?" said Liam breathlessly.

"Like I said, I found something you'll wanna see," said Vasilio mysteriously. "Come on. Try to keep up on that scooter."

Vasilio jumped onto his skateboard and took off. Liam hastily unfolded his scooter and followed him out the back gate of the complex. White Gardens, the neighborhood of gray apartment buildings where Liam and his family lived, was right next to Everspring's old south bus station, but Liam had never taken much notice of it. It was a worn-down place, mostly catering to those who couldn't afford to travel on newer, fancier busses. The travellers always had a bit of the country about them, whether they were old people with blue caps or college students in fake designer clothes. Liam wondered for a moment whether Vasilio was taking him on a journey by bus, but as they approached the run-down station, his friend suddenly swerved to the side, picked up his skateboard, and beckoned for Liam to follow him into a narrow, inconspicuous alleyway.

Liam had learned long ago that Everspring City was full of unexpected places—it was almost a microcosm of the Nanzo region itself. Yet he still felt embarrassed that he had never thought to explore a spot so close to his house. It reminded him of Feather and Petal Street—the touristy market winding through a traditional Nanzonese neighborhood on the other side of town—except where Feather and Petal was lively and crowded, this alleyway was quiet, narrow, and almost dusty. Liam heard the faint sound of bubbling water coming from small glass tanks and the chirping and hooting of bird Pokemon in small cages. Overhead, he could see clothes lines stretching between the windows on the concrete buildings on either side. A generation ago, these small vendors had probably been farmers, but as the city sprung up around them, they turned from raising cabbage and tobacco to selling used clothes, decorative plants, or—and this explained the bubbling sound—fish Pokemon for aquariums.

Liam didn't care much for Water-type Pokemon. Actually, it was the weird, staring eyes of fishlike Pokemon that made his skin crawl. While other kids had nightmares about Darkrai hovering in the shadows over their beds, Liam bolted awake with the panicked feeling that there was a Magikarp gasping between his sheets. It wasn't a rational fear, but Liam still hoped Vasilio hadn't brought him along just to terrorize him with the sight of Goldeens behind smudged glass.

"So, what is this place?" asked Liam in a low voice.

"Fin and Petal Street," said Vasilio. "Okay, so I made that up. But it's kinda like Feather and Petal Street—you know, pet Pokemon, plants, weird stuff. But it's more for the locals. I found this place a couple weeks ago. I've been coming here to get Pokemon for my aquarium. But, that's not what I wanted to show you. We gotta go deeper."

The alley proved to be something of a maze, winding through a neighborhood of squat concrete residences—each with a small shop on the first floor. Unlike the shopkeepers at Feather and Petal, who perked up whenever a foreigner passed by, these people practically ignored him. Liam enjoyed being able to look at the beautiful plants, ornate bird cages, and quaint knick-knacks without receiving the foreigner sales pitch. The further into the hidden market Liam and Vasilio went, the more fellow shoppers they met. Evidently, wherever Vasilio was taking him attracted more than just foreign teenagers on a Sunday afternoon. Suddenly, Liam realized that another sound had replaced the soothing trickle of water and the rustling of potted greenery.

"Is that… barking?" Liam asked.

It was barking. Deep within the labyrinth of cozy shops, they had found a marketplace that seemed to be nothing but pet stores. Cages, shop windows, cardboard boxes—all filled with dog-like Pokemon, from snoozing Stoutlands to loudly-yapping Yampers.

"Welcome to the Dog Market," said Vasilio.

Liam looked at his friend with curiosity.

"So… you're getting a pet Snubbull or something?"

Vasilio snorted.

"We're not quite there yet. This way."

They went past the more respectable looking shops, with adorable Lillipups and carefully trimmed Furfrous jumping excitedly against the glass, and towards the far end of the Dog Market, where the cages were larger, and barks were louder, and the Pokemon looked less cute and more fierce. These were clearly working Pokemon—Mightyenas, Granbulls, and Manectrics raised to drive away unwanted visitors or keep watch at night. Despite their being safely behind the rusty bars of sturdy-looking cages, these Pokemon's vicious barks and ferocious snarls made Liam nervous. These were Pokemon that wouldn't hesitate to attack a strange-looking foreigner if they got the chance.

"Here's our guy," said Vasilio, pointing to an old man with a wispy white beard.

The man seemed pleased to see Vasilio, and even more pleased to see Liam. He set aside the bamboo water pipe he had been smoking and beckoned them over.

"So this is your friend, eh?" said the old man, sizing up Liam with his crinkled eyes. "A Dark-type trainer?"

"Yeah," said Vasilio casually. "You've still got the Pokemon, right?"

"I held onto it for you," said the old man. "Come on, I'll show you."

He motioned for them to follow, and led Liam and Vasilio into a dingy shop full of cages. Liam wasn't naturally claustrophobic, but being in a cramped room full of presumably savage Pokemon made him feel very uncomfortable. The old man pointed to a cage on the far end of the room.

"There it is," he said. "A Houndour."

Liam's heart leapt. The canine Pokemon was pacing its tiny cage in evident agitation, following the movements of the unexpected foreign visitors closely with narrowed eyes. Its short fur was a beautiful black, while its belly and snout were the color of rust. Liam knew immediately that he had to have it, no matter what it cost.

"How much?" he asked the man hastily, as if afraid that some unseen person would suddenly snatch the Pokemon away right before his eyes.

The old man's eyes crinkled in a smile.

"For a fine, rare Pokemon like this, I think, eh…. 8000?"

Liam reached for his wallet at once, but Vasilio grabbed him by the arm.

"Wait, I thought you told me 6000," said Vasilio, his voice calm and rational. "There's no reason to charge us the foreigner price."

"Extra fee for holding on to it for you," said the man tersely. "I could have sold this Pokemon already."

Liam reached for his wallet again, but Vasilio's grip was firm.

"2000 Pokedollars is too much," said Vasilio. "My friend will give you 6500. That's a 500 Pokedollar handling fee."

The old man stroked his thin beard. Liam noticed that many of the long, white hairs were growing out of ugly brown moles.

"I can do your friend 7000," said the man. "This Pokemon is freshly imported from Kanto. Surely you think it's worth 7000 for such a rare—?"

Liam broke free of Vasilio's grip and fished out his wallet.

"Here you go," said Liam. shoving the red bills into the man's callused hands,

The old man gave a satisfied smile, accepted the money with a bow, and went to work ringing up Liam's purchase on his archaic cash register.

"I could've got you 6500," muttered Vasilio. "If you hadn't been in such a hurry."

Liam didn't care, and Vasilio knew he didn't care. He couldn't look away from the Pokemon as the old man unlocked the cage, captured it in a Pokeball, and presented it to Liam with a satisfied grin.

"Thank you," said Liam as he attached the Pokeball to his belt.

"You're welcome," muttered Vasilio as they left the shop. "Didn't I say I'd found something you wanted to see?"

"Yeah," said Liam.

He didn't say what he was really thinking. He knew exactly why Vasilio had brought him here on this day, and he was grateful for it.

"You wanna go skate?" asked Vasilio casually.

"Sure," said Liam. "That sounds good."


	38. Chapter 38

Skating with Vasilio typically involved Liam suggesting tricks and Vasilio actually attempting them. It was an arrangement that suited them both—Liam preferring not to do anything dangerous, and Vasilio always ready to do anything dangerous if he thought he could pull it off. For Liam, it was really just an excuse to be out with Vasilio and, inevitably, talk about girls.

"So, has Rebecca not asked you yet?" said Liam as his friend bailed on a heelflip.

"No," said Vasilio, giving his board a frustrated kick. "I know she's going to, though. And she's planning something showy. I just don't know what."

"So when are you two gonna go official?" asked Liam innocently.

Vasilio attempted the trick again with just a little success as before.

"Eventually. Whenever. I don't know. You wanna go get hundun or something? I'm hungry and my board is being stupid."

Liam eagerly took him up on the offer, and they skated out the back gate of New Court to a hole-in-the-wall restaurant with plastic stools and cheap plywood tables. This restaurant specialized in dumpling soup, known as hundun in the Nanzonese dialect. It was a favorite spot of Vasilio's, where a large, steaming bowl of soup could be had at a steal and flavored up with generous helpings of soy sauce, vinegar, and potent chili paste. After devouring his hundun and draining his bottle of cold tea, Vasilio became more willing to talk.

"Rebecca's parents don't allow her to date," Vasilio explained. "And my parents wouldn't let me date Rebecca if they knew her parents were against it, so… yeah. We're stuck there."

"It just doesn't… seem like you," Liam pointed out. "I mean, you like having everything open and clear."

"I guess," said Vasilio. "I've got my secrets, though."

There was a superior smile playing around Vasilio's mouth, almost inviting Liam to press him further.

"So…" said Liam, lowering his voice and leaning across the table toward his friend. "You've kissed her, right?"

"Oh, yeah," said Vasilio. "I kissed her back at Village Trip."

"Woah, you do have secrets," said Liam. "Juicy secrets. Tell me more."

Vasilio laughed and took another sip of his tea.

"Well, if you ever need to find make-out spots around New Court, I can tell you a few," said Vasilio. "Not as many as Mori knows, but I'm working on it. Don't tell her, by the way. I know the whole thing with Rebecca bugs her."

Liam raised his eyebrows.

"Why is that?"

Vasilio shrugged.

"I dunno. I'm worried about her, to be honest. Something about her thing with Dustin is just… off. Like, Mori is gorgeous. I think I can say that without—."

"Yeah, that's an objective fact," Liam concurred.

"And she's… I don't know, she's kinda high maintenance, and definitely high drama, but she's incredibly sweet to Dustin. I just don't get how… he doesn't mistreat her, but…"

Vasilio gave a frustrated sigh.

"He doesn't take it as seriously as she does. And I don't get why. Like, dude, you're dating Mori Shaw. That's a privilege. I dunno, maybe it's that he's a senior and he's gonna be gone after this year, but… once again: Mori. I wouldn't let go of that relationship just because I was graduating."

"You sure you're dating the right person?" said Liam with a smirk.

"Oh, shut up," said Vasilio, flicking Liam on the arm. "You know what I mean. It just pisses me off, I guess. Like, when he didn't call her at the lock-in. What was up with that? Mori glows when he's around. But to him, it's like… talking to her is a chore or something. And it's not just us, by the way. Taylor, Rebecca, and Liz have this acapella version of 'Flavor of the Weak' they whip out whenever they see Mori talking to Dustin. So they notice it too."

Vasilio drained the last of the soup from his bowl.

"You wanna go do some battles?"

"Sounds good," said Liam.

He was surprised at himself for jumping at the offer. He knew Vasilio occasionally offered him escape routes, and that would have been the perfect time to say "Nah, I need to get home." But instead, Liam and Vasilio skated their way to the nearby community park, where the very young and the very old gathered in the evenings for music, mahjong, and Pokemon battles. Liam wanted to use his new Houndour in battle, and the more casual setting of the New Court park was the perfect place to do it.

His new Pokemon's movepool wasn't particularly impressive, but the old man at the Dog Market had at least taught it Flamethrower by TM, and that was enough for Liam to work with. The locals were always eager to battle a foreigner, and offered a surprising range of skill and challenge. Sometimes his opponent would be a teenager in a blue Team Truth battling with what was clearly a pampered pet, while other times an elementary-aged kid would trounce him with high-level strategic play. Pokemon was a strangely leveling force—a young child could be just as good as a lifelong trainer. That didn't remove the embarrassment of losing to a six year old, but it did help him to bounce back after each defeat.

* * *

It was after ten o'clock at night when Liam and Vasilio finally headed back to New Court. Several hours of Pokemon battling had left them feeling tired, but content. Liam reflected that it had been the perfect way to end the weekend of Professor Werner's funeral. He felt optimistic—that somehow, even without Professor Werner, everything would be alright. He and Vasilio stopped by the dry fountain in the middle of the New Court complex and sat down on its edge.

"Just three days next week," remarked Vasilio. "I am so ready for that break."

"Yeah," said Liam. "Hey, uh… thanks again for taking me to get my Houndour and… everything else."

Vasilio smiled self-consciously.

"Hey, Mori's not the only person I worry about," he said. "But it's no big deal. I—what the heck?"

Vasilio leapt up and whirled around, prompting Liam to do the same.

"What?" said Liam. "I didn't see any… huh?"

Liam and Vasilio both leaned in closer, as if to make sure they were really seeing what they thought they were. Chelsea Whitaker—dressed only in her pajamas—was asleep in the dry basin of the fountain. Even in the dark, Liam could tell it was her—Chelsea's bushy red curls were unmistakable—but the longer he looked, the more confused he became. She clearly hadn't passed out or gotten hurt, but that only made the situation even stranger.

"Chez?" he said, touching her gently on the shoulder.

Chelsea squirmed a little, but didn't wake.

"Try again," whispered Vasilio.

"Chez, wake up," said Liam, shaking her by the shoulder. "You're… you're in the fountain."

Chelsea sat up so suddenly it made Liam and Vasilio jump. She stared around with a panicked expression—clearly confused both by where she was and who she was looking at. She tried to scramble to her feet, but her socks slipped on the smooth tile and she fell back down with a thump.

"Ow!"

"Chez!" exclaimed Liam. grabbing her by the arm and helping her slowly to the feet. "What are you doing here?"

Chelsea looked blearily at Liam, then at Vasilio, then at herself.

"...What?"

"You're in the New Court fountain," said Liam, trying to get through to her without causing unnecessary alarm. "Are you okay?"

"I... "

Chelsea seemed suddenly to comprehend.

"Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh, how did I get… What time is it?"

"Almost 10:45," said Vasilio, holding up the clock on his cellphone for her to see.

Liam took off his Team Virtue jacket and gave it to Chelsea so she wasn't just wearing her pajamas. She accepted it gratefully, but avoided making eye contact with him.

"Were you sleep-walking?" asked Liam gently.

"I… I guess," Chelsea mumbled.

She still looked mortified. Liam was deeply curious, but he could tell he wasn't going to get any satisfying answers with Chelsea in this state. Vasilio, as usual, saw what needed to be done and did it,

"Let's get you home," said Vasilio. "Which building is yours?"

Chelsea pointed to the apartment building across from Mori's house.

"Okay, we'll walk you back," said Vasilio. "C'mon, Liam."

They escorted her to the bottom of the apartment stairs and, after receiving several assurances that she could make it home herself and she would text them when she got there, sent Chelsea up alone. After waiting about two minutes, Liam's PokeGear buzzed with a confirmation that Chelsea had made it back safely.

"That was weird," said Liam as they walked back to the fountain together.

"Yeah," said Vasilio. "We… should probably keep that to ourselves."

"Oh, y-yeah," said Liam. "Of course."

Liam felt a little ashamed that he had needed Vasilio's admonition.

"Well, that's enough weirdness for one day," said Vasilio with a yawn. "And we've got school tomorrow. See you on the bus."

"Yeah," said Liam. "See ya."

He started his slow walk by the White Gardens. His redheaded protege was more mysterious than he had realized, and Liam couldn't help but think there was more than sleepwalking at play. Still, he didn't have any better theories.

"I know you're not a kid, Chez," Liam muttered. "But you have a knack for getting into scrapes."

Liam chuckled to himself. "Getting into scrapes" was the kind of thing his mom would say. He was still being protective, but it wasn't because he thought she was a kid. Chelsea Whitaker was moving out of "kinda cute" territory and into the realm of undeniable feelings. The fact that it had taken this long made Liam nervous.

It had been the same way with Cass.


	39. Chapter 39

"So, what are you doing for fall break? Sneasel, Slash attack!"

"I will be staying here—Thunderbolt, Raichu!—I need to practice more for the gym challenge."

"Ah, crap. Sneasel, use Ice Punch! Marsha, you don't need more training, you need badges. You should come with us to Hempshear Town over break. We're gonna take on the Steel gym."

"Body Slam! I am going to challenge the Ghost-type gym first. According to the Nanzo Trainer's Guide, it is the least difficult gym badge."

"Yeah, well you should have no—ouch—trouble. Sneasel, Avalanche!"

"It is not wrong to be well prepared. Finish him with Thunderbolt, Raichu!"

Liam winced as the blast of electricity sent his Pokemon skidding across the atrium floor. Marsha had been getting better—annoyingly so—and even Liam's strategy of distracting her with conversation wasn't delivering the way it used to.

"That is five times you have been beaten by a freshman," said Marsha.

Her tone was matter-of-fact, but Liam knew she was gloating.

"Well, it happens," said Liam irritably.

He recalled his fainted Pokemon and took his Pokeballs over to the nurse that was always stationed in the atrium during battle class. He noticed Coach Tang shaking her head and making a tick on her clipboard. Losing to Marsha clearly wasn't helping his grade in this class.

Liam was a little disappointed that he hadn't managed to persuade any of the freshmen to join in their planned trip to Hempshear Town. He thought Chelsea at least would come along, but she was planning to stay home with her family. Liam couldn't blame her, but was struggling to read the entire situation. Chelsea hadn't mentioned the strange incident at the fountain even once, but she was still wearing his Team Virtue jacket, and she got coy with Liam everytime he suggested she return it.

"I saw you checking out that nosy freshman," whispered Mori on their way to Shrike's Unovan History class.

Liam started to protest, but Mori flicked him hard on the side of the head.

"Don't even try it," said Mori. "I know you, and I know what I saw, and you need higher standards. First you're drooling over my middle school bully, now you're creeping on freshmen?"

"I was not creeping on—."

Liam ducked to dodge another flick from Mori.

"Liam, I caught you staring right at her butt," said Mori. "Multiple times. Not to mention that you gave her your jacket. Honestly, if she hasn't noticed, she's a little dense. So just… be careful. Don't give a girl attention if you're not willing to take it any further than that."

They sat down at their usual places in the back of Shrike's classroom. Vasilio's desk was empty—he was obviously still talking to Rebecca.

"What about him?" asked Liam, jerking his head at Vasilio's empty seat.

He was curious to hear Mori's side of the story after his conversation over hundun with Vasilio.

"Don't get me started," said Mori, rolling her eyes. "He's…"

She shook her head fiercely, as if determined not to be drawn into the topic.

"Hey, guys."

Vasilio set this Unovan History textbook on his desk and sat down in his usual chair.

"How was Rebecca?" asked Liam with a wink.

Mori was still sulking.

"Fine," said Vasilio. "But believe it or not, I was mostly talking to Sylvia. Liam, you're still in for Hempshear Town, right?"

"Yeah," said Liam. "Believe it or not, I've been trying to drag other people along too. Without much success."

"Mori?"

Mori shrugged.

"Parents still say no," she said. "You're running out of time, Vasi."

"I got this," he said confidently. "Today is the day. Start packing. I'll come over and deliver the knock-out punch this afternoon."

"Somehow, I doubt it," Mori muttered.

* * *

To Mori and Liam's amazement, Vasilio pulled it off. After weeks of respectful argumentation, dogged persistence, and well-reasoned persuasion, her parents finally gave their approval for her to go with them to Hempshear Town. Mori pretended that this wasn't a big deal, but beneath her deadpan demeanor, Liam could tell she was overjoyed. Vasilio had won her a few days away from her overbearing parents. It was practically an early Christmas.

"Staying with Rain is gonna suck," she grumbled. "But at least we don't have to walk this time. My legs still haven't recovered from the trip to the Karst Forest."

Liam decided not to point out that Mori had ridden her Bouffalant the entire way.

Wednesday turned out to be a big day for Mori. She celebrated Vasilio's victory over her parents by finally asking Dustin to the Winter Ball. Her invitation was written on the deck of a new skateboard, which turned out to be the secret present she had been saving up for all semester. Liam was impressed with Mori's discipline in saving her money for so long just to surprise her boyfriend, and he told her so.

"Yeah, well, financial responsibility sucks," Mori replied. "I'm going back to wasting all my allowance on manga from now on."

Shortly after lunch, Sylvia presented Liam, Vasilio, and Mori with a packing list.

"Rain says we need to bring our own blankets," Sylvia explained. "She's taking care of the food, though. Oh, and don't forget money for the train."

Mori turned her large, black eyes on Liam.

"Help a pretty girl that's broke?"

"Oh, I'll get it," said Vasilio, rolling his eyes. "You're lucky we like you so much, Mori. You're expensive."

"She's a freeloading moocher," said Sylvia with a grin. "But we're glad you're coming, Mori. We need the sarcasm to balance out Rain."

"Yay, I'm valuable for something," Mori groaned.

* * *

Liam was cleaning out his locker at the end of the day when he heard Chelsea, who was opening her locker next to him, give a start.

"Liam," said Chelsea. "Look at this."

She pulled a folded piece of paper out of her locker door. Liam knew instantly what it was.

"Another one," said Liam, taking the paper from her and reading the message, typed as usual in a bold black font.

THEY ARE INFILTRATING NANZO. NOT SURE HOW. STAND BY FOR MORE INFO.

"Whoever this is, they're getting more talkative," Liam observed, handing the note back to Chelsea. "Infiltrating Nanzo? What does that mean? The Teams and gym leaders have the borders on lockdown. How could they get in and out?"

"Maybe the same way Claire did," suggested Chelsea.

Liam nodded, but his eyes shot to Chelsea as he realized what she had said. Chelsea seemed to realize she had let something slip. Her cheeks flushed, and she quickly busied herself in digging through her locker.

"What was that?" demanded Liam, swatting aside the door of Chelsea's locker so he could see her face.

Chelsea flinched and took a step back.

"I swear you told me, bro," said Chelsea defensively.

"I definitely didn't," said Liam coldly. "Chez, seriously? First with Mori, now with me? Were you hiding under the table when I told Vasi and Mori or something?"

Chelsea bit her lip. Liam could see the tears welling in her eyes, but he didn't feel any sympathy.

"Don't even try that with me," he said. "You need to learn not to be so—."

"I'm not nosy!"

"Yeah, well prove that with your actions, not with your words!"

They both stared at each other for a moment. Liam was almost trembling with anger. He couldn't believe Chelsea was playing dumb—couldn't believe she was playing the victim despite the overwhelming evidence of her guilt. Tears were streaming down Chelsea's face, but she looked almost as furious as Liam felt.

"Fine!" Chelsea spat.

She took off her jacket—the Team Virtue jacket that Liam had lent her—and shoved it into his chest.

"If you can't trust me—if you won't… then why should I trust you?"

She slammed her locker shut and stormed away. Liam noticed that she had left the note laying on the floor. He scooped it up, looked at it again, and was struck by a sudden thought.

Was Chelsea writing these notes herself?

Liam immediately realized how unlikely that was—how could she have known Team Power was after Rasmus, for starters? But the fact that he had entertained the idea at all disturbed him. No matter how sneaky and interfering Chelsea was—and Liam was convinced that she was both to an unhealthy degree—she wasn't a liar. At least, he had thought she wasn't until now.

After turning over the note to Miss Snyder, Liam searched the school for his friend. He didn't find her, but he did run into Marsha, who was in a rage that would have been terrifying if it had come from someone who wasn't Marsha.

"You wounded her feelings!" Marsha shouted. "You will apologize to her immediately!"

"Yeah, I noticed," said Liam testily. "I don't think she wants to talk to me though."

He tried to text Chelsea on the bus ride home, but she didn't reply.

"Not that I care," said Mori, lifting her headphones off just one ear. "But if she wants space, give her space. If she's mad at you, you can't force her not to be."

Mori, Liam had learned, was usually right about everything. Chelsea would text him when she was ready. Until then, he was going into break with a broken friendship. It gave him a sick feeling in his stomach.


	40. Chapter 40

"Get your money ready, everyone," Sylvia called over her shoulder.

"Why did I agree to this?" Mori whined.

"Because you get three whole days away from your dad," said Vasilio, passing money for his and Mori's tickets to Sylvia. "And you get to enjoy our company."

"Terrific," said Mori with a scowl. "Just peachy."

The Everspring Train Station was swarming with people and Pokemon on that Thursday morning. Liam wasn't too surprised—the people of Nanzo saw every holiday as an opportunity to return home, and National Day was no exception. Still, it made getting their tickets and reaching their train an adventure. Liam did his best to stick close to Vasili and Mori as they squeezed their way through crowds, pushed their way to the front of "lines" (in Nanzo, most lines more closely resembled mobs), and finally made their way to their seats on the 8:40 train to Hempshear Town. The leather seats were stiff and uncomfortable, and the cabin smelled strongly of cigarettes, but both of those things were to be expected in Nanzo. Liam found himself sitting beside Ruth, which he liked. She would let him spend the trip listening to his music in peace.

Mori was deeply absorbed with her phone as the train pulled away from the station. Liam suspected she was texting Dustin—a suspicion that was confirmed when Vasilio tried to peek over her shoulder and she flicked him in the face.

"You're as bad as that redhead," said Mori irritably.

_That redhead_. As frustrated as Liam was with Chelsea, Mori's words still irked him. He knew Mori was more than capable of holding a grudge, but to hold one against Chelsea just because she didn't know how to mind her own business seemed petty—especially compared to Mori's perfectly legitimate grievances against Claire. Liam knew what Mori's counterpoint would be—"You just think she's hot"—and she was at least partially right. Liam had been checking his PokeGear a lot that morning—hoping that Chelsea would be the first one to reach out. He didn't want to seem desperate, and he knew Chelsea probably needed space after their fight, but…

He pulled his PokeGear out of his pocket.

_I'm sorry about yesterday._

That didn't seem like enough. He deleted the message and started over.

_Chez, I'm sorry for not believing you. I should have trusted you._

That one was a lie. He wasn't sorry for not believing her, and he was still convinced that she was either lying to him or to herself. He deleted the second message and stuffed his PokeGear back into his pocket.

"Are you okay?" asked Ruth.

Liam took off his headphones and shook his head.

"I got in a fight with someone yesterday, and I feel like I was right, but I still don't like them being mad at me. So, I want to make up with them, but I don't know what to say."

Ruth pursed her lips thoughtfully. Her round, childlike face didn't lend itself well to serious expressions, but Liam did his best to restrain a smile. She was helping him out, after all, and Ruth was probably the wisest one in their class. He knew better than to underestimate her.

"You should tell her the truth," said Ruth at last. "You have to be honest, or you are just pushing your problems away."

"I get that," said Liam. "But… wait, I never said this was a girl."

"Well, she's not an idiot," said Mori under her breath.

Vasilio choked on his bottle of tea.

"This is the freshman girl, right?" said Ruth. "Marsha's friend?"

"Yeah. It's something similar to what… happened with Mori, I guess."

"See," said Mori. "She is nosy. She really needs to learn to—."

"Yeah, I know," Liam interrupted. "Believe me, I'm not taking her side in this, I just… I don't know. I think our friendship is more valuable than this fight."

Mori clearly wasn't buying it, but Ruth nodded seriously.

"That is very mature," said Ruth. "You should tell her that. If you think being her friend is very important—."

Mori couldn't restrain herself any longer.

"Ruth, Liam thinks she's hot," Mori choked. "It's not that—."

"Oh," said Ruth. "Well, if Liam is in love with her, he should still be honest, but—."

"Ooh, who is Liam in love with?" asked Sylvia, leaning across the center aisle.

"This is not—look, I'm not… gahh!."

Liam put his headphones back on, turned up his music, and turned away from his friends to look out the window. It was the only escape he could think of. The train was just leaving the outskirts of Everspring City behind, revealing an open country of patchwork crop fields and farming villages. In the distance, Liam could see the dark blue silhouettes of high mountains—the foothills of the Tubon Plateau. That was the direction they were heading—away from the populous heart of Nanzo and into its untamed west.

* * *

"Do you want some?"

Liam blinked groggily at Ruth, but when he saw what she was offering, he suddenly felt wide awake. She had packed a beautiful lunch of rice, kimchi, dried fish, beansprouts, seaweed, and eggs. It reminded Liam of the bento the students at his old school in Johto brought for lunch every day, and he had already learned to appreciate Ferrumian cuisine.

"I will take as much as you're willing to part with," said Liam eagerly.

Ruth seemed torn between pleasure at his enthusiasm for her region's cuisine and anxiety at how much food would be left over for her after Liam helped himself. Liam decided to content himself with a little bit of rice, kimchi, and fish wrapped in seaweed in a sort of improvised kimbap. It was delicious, and it took all the self-control Liam could muster not to ask for seconds. He was grateful to Ruth for offering at all—he hadn't had the foresight to bring a lunch, despite it being strongly recommended on Sylvia's packing list. It wasn't quite noon yet, but Ruth loved food just as much as he did, and he was sure having such a delicious lunch packed away in her bag had been trying her patience all morning.

Liam wasn't the only one who had taken a small nap. Mori was snoring on Vasilio's shoulder in a position that would have been intimate if it wasn't so undignified. Vasilio was looking up Steel-type Pokemon in his Pokedex and making notes. In the seats across from them, Jonah was bobbing his head to the music in his earbuds. Sylvia was on the phone with her brother, while Stephanie was reading a book Liam guessed was about Pokemon breeding—all the text on the cover was Kalosian, so he couldn't be quite sure.

"Did you text Chelsea?" asked Ruth.

Liam shook his head.

"I still don't know what to say."

"I am sorry for teasing you," said Ruth, sounding genuinely remorseful. "I did not realize that you really had a crush on Chelsea."

"Yeah, well… I didn't either. Until recently."

Ruth cocked her head to one side.

"Are boys often uncertain about whether they like a girl?"

Liam laughed.

"No? Yes? I don't know. Anyways, it's not like I've… just, keep it to yourself, okay?"

"Oh, of course," said Ruth seriously. "I would not tell anyone."

"Except all of us," said Vasilio with a smirk.

"Yeah, well, I can always count on Mori to spill my secrets," said Liam. "Are you sure Rebecca would be okay with, uh…"

He waved vaguely at Mori, who was now drooling onto Vasilio's shoulder.

"Have you tried waking Mori up before?" said Vasi in a whisper. "This is for my own safety."

"Fair point," said Liam.

He had, after all, made the same choice in a similar situation.


	41. Chapter 41

They found Rain Kim—a slim Ferrumian girl with dyed auburn hair and a heart-shaped face—waiting for them right outside Hempshear station with her Aromatisse. Liam recognized the outline of Prism Tower on her pink sweater. She had worn that sweater a lot last year.

"Oh my gosh, you're here!" said Rain, hugging every member of their group in turn. "How's everyone in Everspring? Do you want lunch? I heard you're doing a Winter Ball! Ugh, I'm so jealous! Oh, Grace, you did get to come!"

Mori flinched a little as Rain embraced her, which made Liam laugh. Clearly absence hadn't changed Mori's antipathy for their former classmate.

"Come on, my driver is waiting for us," said Rain.

"Cheerleader," Mori muttered as they followed Rain to the van.

Rain's driver turned out to be a scruffy-looking Nanzonese man driving a "bread loaf" van—a ramshackle vehicle that's odd shape was known to lead to it tipping over of its own accord. It was the first hint that Hempshear Town was very different from Everspring—even more different than Jadetower had been. Quiet, rustic, and even a little shabby, Hempshear reminded him of the old-fashioned, small-town charm of Ecruteak City, except without the mystique and self-importance. Hempshear was simply an old town on the edge of a large, blue lake, and seemed content to be little more. The townhouses they passed as they drove along the western bank were in the traditional Nanzo style, with sloping roofs covered with mossy tiles, but the white paint on their walls was peeling and cracking, and the windows were grimy with dirt and dust. Some of the houses weren't old-fashioned at all, but more like concrete cubes reaching up three or four stories. Liam recognized these as the multi-generational homes of farmers, building upward as the modern world crowded in around them. All in all, it was a charming place—the kind of place Cass would have described as "perfect."

Rain's house turned out to be one of the newer, tower-style compounds, with three floors and what looked like a standalone guest room on the roof. It stood right on the shores of the huge lake, with only a narrow highway and a row of dark-green bushes separating it from the water.

"We're here!" announced Rain. "Come on, my mom is making japchae."

As eager as Liam was to sample Mrs. Kim's cooking, he still paused to take in the beautiful view of the lake. The lightly rippling water was a dark blue, spanning well beyond his line of sight in both directions. Out on the water, Liam could see long wooden boats with swarms of blue Pokemon whirling around them.

"Hey Rain, what are those?" asked Liam.

"Those what?" said Rain, shading her eyes and looking where Liam was pointing. "Oh, those are Cramorant. The fishermen train them to catch fish for them."

"That's one of the things Hempshear is famous for," added Sylvia. "That and Old Town. We're going there tomorrow, right?"

"Yes," said Rain. "But the gym leader is—."

"Food!" said Ruth, pushing Rain towards the door.

Liam laughed. More trivia about Hempshear would have to wait. He didn't want to stand between Ruth and lunch.

* * *

The inside of Rain's house felt oddly familiar to Liam. It was comfortably furnished, with more mismatched chairs and sofas than Liam thought were necessary, and bookcases stuffed with Ferrumian and Unovan books against every wall. It was orderly, neat, and welcoming, but also crammed full of things. It was, to put it simply, the house of foreigners who had made themselves comfortable in an uncomfortable place. The house of a foreign family all but perfectly adapted to their surroundings, with years' worth of homeschool curriculums, homemade quilts, foreign DVDs, and other precious amenities transforming what had been built as a rural farmer's residence into a foreign family's home. It was strange to think the Kims had only lived here for a few months—but then, Liam reminded himself, TCKs and their families were adept at transferring their lives from one place to another.

Liam, Vasilio, Mori, Sylvia, Jonah, Ruth, and Stephanie all settled into the ample seating on the first floor as Rain went to check on the lunch situation.

"This place is huge," Jonah remarked.

"I think it's three floors," said Sylvia. "Plus, Rain's room on the roof. I think it'll just have room for all of us."

"We can always put Liam outside if we have to," said Mori.

"Thanks, Grace," said Liam.

Mori stuck her tongue out at him.

"Lunch is ready in five minutes," announced Rain, returning from the kitchen. "So, what do you guys think?"

"I think Jonah is coveting your three floors," said Sylvia.

"Heck yeah I am," said Jonah. "I have to share a room with my bro back in Everspring. This place is practically a mansion."

Rain gave an appreciative smile.

"We should move the school to Hempshear Town if we could all live like this," Jonah continued.

"No Unovan burgers in Hempshear," Sylvia pointed out. "Or Unovan Soda Pop. The perks of living in the country come with a price."

Jonah looked genuinely conflicted over trading burgers for a room of his own, but the mention of food just made Ruth even more ravenous. She shifted irritably in her chair.

"So, uh, why is it called Hempshear Town?" asked Liam, deciding to turn the conversation away from food for Ruth's sake.

Rain gave an uncomfortable cough, but Sylvia seemed amused by the question.

"Oh, you didn't notice?" said Sylvia with a grin. "There's a whole row of them right out front."

"A row of what?"

"Cannabis," said Sylvia, adjusting her round glasses. "It grows wild here."

"What?"

"Ma-ri-jua-na," said Ruth, carefully enunciating each syllable in a heavy Ferrumian accent.

Mori's Misdreavus, who was making faces behind Vasilio, gave a gleeful snicker.

"Wait, are you serious?" asked Jonah.

Rain sighed. This clearly wasn't her idea of suitable pre-lunch conversation.

"Yes, there are cannabis plants in our yard," she explained wearily. "The local people have been growing it as, I don't know, rope or cloth or something for hundreds of years. So, it's everywhere."

"That's where the 'hemp' in Hempshear Town comes from," said Sylvia. "The 'shear' comes from the Skiddo and Mareep they've been raising here for generations for their wool."

"And skin," added Mori dryly.

"It is part of Nanzo culture," said Stephanie matter-of-factly as Ruth gave a startled squeak.

"I… think it's time for lunch," said Rain.

Liam and Mori exchanged a glance as they all got up and made their way to the Kims' dining table. They had both missed seeing Rain squirm.


	42. Chapter 42

"I didn't know you liked water so much," said Mori as she sat down beside Liam on the bank.

"I like to look at it," said Liam. "And listen to it. It reminds me of Johto."

"But not swim in it?"

Liam rolled his eyes. Mori was grinning at him.

"I don't like to think about what's swimming around in it with me," said Liam defensively. "Anyways, I—."

He felt a buzzing in his pocket. Without finishing his sentence, Liam pulled out his PokeGear and hastily checked his messages.

_Can I borrow your Houndour?_

"Is it the nosy redhead?" asked Mori tensely.

"No," said Liam, feeling just a twinge of disappointment. "It's Orchid."

"Oh, okay," said Mori, leaning back onto the grass. "She's alright."

Liam chuckled. He could see how Mori found a potential kindred spirit in the misanthropic freshman. There was a selfish streak in both that Liam wasn't quite sure how to feel about. Asking to borrow his newest Pokemon out of the blue was exactly the sort of thing both of them would do.

_Sorry, I'm in Hempshear Town_, he typed.

Almost immediately after sending the message, his PokeGear buzzed again.

_But im bored :( I NEED something to paint_

"She's getting pushy," said Liam with a snort.

His Liam's shoulder, Sneasel swiped at Mori's Misdreavus, who was floating just out of range with a mocking expression.

"Why can't you like Orchid instead?" grumbled Mori. "I know you're not that picky."

"You're impossible to please," said Liam. "Half the time you're complaining that I don't have standards, the other half you're complaining that I'm not enough of a lost cause for your convenience."

Mori leaned over and flicked Liam on the arm.

"Maybe I'd respect you more if you weren't so worried about my opinion," said Mori teasingly.

"That explains a lot," muttered Liam under his breath.

Mori's right eyebrow arched dangerously.

"You gonna explain that remark?"

"I feel like it's better for my own safety if I don't," said Liam.

Mori sniffed. For a while, they both watched the rippling of the lakewater in silence.

"It's about Dustin, right?" said Mori abruptly. "Seriously, I don't get what bugs you and the judgy albino so much about—okay, so Vasilio is totally in love with me, so that's not too much of a mystery, but—."

"What makes you think Vasilio is in love with you?" asked Liam.

Mori stretched and rolled over on her side to face Liam.

"How could he not be?" she said with a mischievous grin. "How could Rebecca ever measure up to this?"

She traced an exaggerated contour around her curves with one hand.

"You're just conceited," mumbled Liam, trying his best not to look anywhere he shouldn't be looking.

Mori laughed.

"Unfortunately for him, I don't like judgy, annoying, boy scout types like him," said Mori dismissively. "I mean, Vasi's alright to look at… if you squint."

"And you look pretty good when I have my contacts out," said a voice above them.

Vasilio slid down onto the bank between them.

"Ouch," said Mori in mock offense. "Liam, he just insulted the dignity of a pretty girl. What are you doing to do about it?"

"Wait, you wear contacts?"

Mori gave a despairing groan.

"How can you be so tame and still never come through when it matters?" she sighed.

"You know, I bet if Liam thought he actually had a chance, you could walk all over him," said Vasilio with a wink.

"Yeah, well he doesn't," said Mori. "I have bad taste in boys, remember? Liam's too much of a pushover. He'd make an unbearable boyfriend."

"Cass didn't think so," said Vasilio, trying and failing to skip a rock on the water from a reclining position. "By the way, when's the last time you heard from her, Liam?"

Liam shrugged.

"Earlier in the week," he said. "I emailed her to tell her about Professor Werner. She said she already found out from Liz, and that was… about it. It's…"

He propped himself up so he could see both of his friends.

"It's getting awkward, I guess. I mean, I'm just starting to move on, and I think she probably is too. I'm just dreading the eventual email telling me she met a guy in Unova and that we can't…"

He shrugged and laid back down on the grass.

"It better be someone good," Liam added. "Someone… better than me."

"Aww, you're being sweet and self-pitying at the same time," said Mori. "Girls don't like that combination, you know. It's unbearable."

"Not every girl is you, Mori," said Vasilio, flicking her on the shoulder.

"Yeah, well, be grateful for that," said Mori.

Liam almost called Mori on her own self-pity, but the note of genuine pain in her voice made him think better of it. She wasn't looking for sympathy or censure. She was just being Mori.

"You know, I got so distracted messing with you two I forgot why I even came out here," said Vasilio, pulling himself to his feet. "Ruth and Stephanie have been making hors d'oeuvre. They just set out the crackers. I even hear rumors that they're preparing something extra special."

"Meaning?" said Liam curiously.

* * *

"Cheeseball!" squealed Ruth as Stephanie set a huge sphere of cheese coated in breading and nuts in the middle of the table.

"I think Ruth is having a religious experience," said Liam with a smirk.

"Don't knock it till you try it," said Sylvia, transferring a glob of cheese spread from the cheeseball to her plate. "The cheeseball has earned its sacred status."

Liam was a little skeptical, but after he spread some of the cheese on a cracker and took his first bite, he was immediately converted. As the others settled down in the living room to plan their strategies for the next day's gym match, Liam and Ruth continued to eat. And eat. And eat. It was just as much an act of solidarity as of hunger—they were eating because they loved to eat, the cheeseball was delicious, and because neither of them looked like as much of a complete pig as they would have if they had been eating alone. Only when the cheeseball was half-demolished and Liam was sure he would have no room for dinner did he and Ruth finally join their classmates and actually start on their plans.

Liam realized immediately that Ruth had been in a better place to waste a quarter of an hour eating the cheeseball than he was. She had a powerful Fire and Fighting type Pokemon, a Mega Charm dangling from her right ear, and a lifetime's worth of battle camps under her belt. This gym would be a cakewalk for Ruth. For Liam, however…

"Crap," he mumbled. "Crap, crap, crap, crap. How am I going to—."

He pulled out his Pokedex and started looking up Steel-type Pokemon in the Nanzo region.

"Who is the gym leader, anyways?" asked Liam.

"I can see the cheeseball was interfering with your hearing," said Sylvia. "Timur is the Hempshear gym leader. He's actually new—it was a different guy when I got my badge here two years ago."

"Wait, you already have the badge?" said Liam incredulously. "So what, you're just here for fun?"

Sylvia and Stephanie shared a patronizing glance.

"Badges expire two years after a gym leader retires," explained Stephanie. "That's the rule across the entire Pokemon League. So, if Sylvia wants to challenge the Pokemon League two years from now—."

"Which I do," put in Sylvia.

"—then she needs to get the badge from the new leader, or her old badge will expire."

"Once you have all eight, it doesn't matter," said Sylvia. "Hopefully there won't be anyone else who retires before we graduate."

Liam looked back down at his Pokedex. What he saw wasn't pretty. Steelix, Aggron, Skarmory, Scizor—all Pokemon he didn't have a good answer for. He did have a Houndour now—that was something—but it was his stronger Pokemon that worried him. Sneasel wouldn't survive an Iron Tail or Heavy Slam. Murkrow's Foul Play could get through their defenses, but too many Steel Pokemon carried devastating Rock-type moves, and they would short work of his Flying-type ace. Steel type resisted Physic, making Espeon effectively useless, even assuming Liam could get Espeon to take the battle seriously at all. Beedrill would be just as powerless, and Nuzleaf just wasn't strong enough for a gym battle.

"So I'm completely screwed," Liam whispered to Mori.

"What else is new?" said Mori.

Clearly he was looking for sympathy in the wrong place. Liam pulled out his PokeGear again. Still nothing. He gave a frustrated sigh.

"Are you alright, Liam?" asked Stephanie.

There was an almost maternal kindness in her voice—the kind of thing that would have normally bothered Liam coming from a girl as pretty as Stephanie. Right now, however, it was strangely comforting. She really wanted an answer.

"Not really," said Liam with a shrug. "I just… I think my irresponsibility is catching up with me."

"You will do your best," said Ruth firmly. "And you will be alright."

"I hope so," said Liam.

He didn't really believe it.


	43. Chapter 43

Liam didn't sleep well that night. He, Vasilio, and Jonah all crammed into Rain's room on the roof—Jonah on the bed, Vasilio on a hand-shaped chair, and Liam on the floor. He ordinarily didn't mind sleeping on the floor, and Rain's room was certainly an improvement over the tent from Fall Camp, but for some reason his mind kept racing. It wasn't just his dread at facing the Steel-type gym leader without a plan—although that was giving Liam a decidedly uncomfortable feeling in his stomach. It wasn't even the fact that Chelsea hadn't texted him and he still wasn't brave enough to text her. It was an overall sense that he was in way over his head. He had blown being a friend and leader to Chelsea. He was sure he was going to blow being a Pokemon trainer tomorrow.

Liam was jolted from the lightest of dozes by Vasilio's alarm—the opening bassline to "Miss Murder" played over tinny phone speakers—at about 7:30. They were planning to head to Old Town, the more "touristy" part of Hempshear, around 9:00, see the sights, get lunch, and challenge the gym. Their plans were revised when they ventured down to the second floor family room at 8:00 and found the girls still in their pajamas, queuing sullenly outside the door of the only bathroom.

"Grace, please, you've been in there for thirty minutes," said Rain. Her voice was pleading, but her politeness was clearly being stretched to the breaking point.

"Look, if I get the chance to look fantastic, I'm gonna take it," came Mori's muffled voice. "Get over it."

"This is my house," retorted Rain. "I need to shower."

"We're all done upstairs," said Jonah. "If you girls wanna…"

"Yes," said Stephanie, whose brown hair was tied back in a loose bun. "Definitely. Come on, Sylvia."

Rain seemed determined not to give up her place behind Mori.

"Grace, I'm coming in," said Rain. "If you're not using the shower, I'm going to—."

"Door's locked," said Mori as Rain pushed vainly against it.

Although he was clearly amused, Vasilio decided to intervene.

"Mori," he said through the bathroom door. "Let Rain take a shower. That's not gonna keep you from—."

Mori opened the door just a crack and peered through with a dangerous expression in her visible eye.

"Five minutes. Let me look good for once."

She slammed and locked the door again. Rain puffed her cheeks poutily.

"She's so stubborn," said Jonah.

It was an interesting remark coming from Jonah. He and Mori had briefly been an item less than a year ago, but Liam had never heard him say anything about the former relationship. It was almost like both of them were pretending it had never happened. Maybe that was just Mori's way of getting over a guy.

Five minutes later, Mori finally emerged from the bathroom. Liam privately thought that the final result was worth Rain's inconvenience—Mori looked incredible. She had accented the expression of her large, dark eyes with black eyeliner and blueish eyeshadow that matched the streak in her hair. Her lipstick was black, as were her nails. She was wearing her favorite Cradle of Muk shirt—the shirt she kept carefully hidden from the "parental authorities" to the point where she sometimes changed into it in her apartment stairwell. As she pushed past Liam, he noticed that she was wearing a very strong perfume.

"Well?" said Mori.

Liam started to speak, but Mori put a finger to his lips.

"I know what you think," she said. "I wanna know the judgy one's opinion."

Vasilio smiled despite himself.

"You do look good, Mori," he granted. "But you were also a jerk to Rain."

"Don't pretend like it wasn't worth it," said Mori, flicking Vasilio on the shoulder. "C'mon, let's see what Rain's mom made for breakfast. I'm starving."

The boys stared at each other for a moment as Mori almost skipped her may downstairs. It was an uncomfortable moment. All three of them had crushed on Mori at some point, and Liam was sure all three of them had just been forcefully reminded of why.

"Arceus, she's crazy," said Jonah at last.

Vasilio snorted.

"C'mon, before Mori and Ruth eat all the food."

"Ruth's already down there?" said Liam in alarm. "Dang, I hope she left something for the rest of us."

* * *

By 9:45, they had all piled into Rain's van and were on their way to Old Town. Liam spent the trip looking out at the lake, watching the Cramorant as they dived into the waves and the glistening of the midmorning sun on the blue water. After a brief stop to allow a herd of Skiddo to cross the road—"They are so cute!" Ruth squealed—they arrived at what Liam took to be a small walled city in the old Nanzo style. Despite his initial impression that Hempshear was an out-of-the-way, rustic place compared to Everspring, there was something almost polished about this place. He could see people that were clearly tourists, not locals, and even a few foreign backpackers with Pokemon perched on their shoulders. Above the narrow arch that formed the main entrance to the walled city was a well-maintained red and blue pagoda.

"This is Old Town," said Rain. "I don't know where they moved the gym after the old leader retired, but there's lots of other things to do while we look around."

They passed through the narrow arch in the ancient wall of gray stone and found themselves in an old-fashioned town, with cobble streets and bustling shops made of wood and stone selling everything from water pipes to round cakes of dried tea to statues made of exquisite marble. It reminded Liam of Feather and Petal Street, except without the bootleg TMs and Pokemon squawking at him from small wooden cages. There were Pokemon, of course. Liam saw Purrloin scurrying across the sloping tile roofs of the shops and Snubbuls dozing on countertops. Red-hot Magbys kept small furnaces burning as silversmiths fashioned dainty bracelets in the flames. From somewhere out of sight, Liam heard the rustling and cooing of roosting Pidoves.

There wasn't really anything Liam was interested in buying, which was lucky, because there wasn't much he could afford. There was plenty to look at in Hempshear Old Town—Liam especially enjoyed watching the local craftsmen and their Pokemon at work—but he also found himself glancing again and again at Mori. Vasilio's reply to her earlier that morning had been an understatement—she looked fantastic. The only thing that kept him from staring was his keen awareness that she would treat the attention with contempt. Misdreavus snickered at him as Mori's Pokemon caught him looking at her again, and he decided to keep his distance for a while. There was no point in re-catching the feelings he had for Mori in the past. She was just as unobtainable as ever.

Liam found Ruth and Stephanie browsing a shop that sold brightly-colored clothes in the local minority style, tactfully modernized for the tourists. He wasn't really interested in buying a neon-yellow scarf, but playing the silent third wheel to his two classmates seemed preferable to avoiding Mori. The shop was large and quiet, and he quickly found himself separated from Stephanie and Ruth by the maze of clothing racks. That was fine. He trusted they would come find him when they were ready to leave.

As Liam absent-mindedly examined a rack of clothes in a far corner of the shop, he noticed that someone was standing on the other side—a young woman wearing jeans and a dark hoodie. He tried not to pay any notice—she was probably a Nanzonese tourist, after all—and busied himself in feeling the fabric of a nearby coat. It was Mareep wool, a texture he wasn't fond of, but he thought looking busy would protect him from any awkward eye contact with the other customer.

Suddenly, the woman lunged through the clothes rack and grabbed him by the mouth. Sneasel, who had been perched on his shoulder, went toppling into a nearby clothes rack with a snarl. Before Liam could even think to struggle, the young woman had pinned him against the wall and pulled back her hood to reveal a head of curly blonde hair.

"Shh!" said Claire in a low, urgent whisper. "Don't say anything. You're staying with Rain, right?"

Liam nodded. He couldn't do much more with Claire holding his mouth shut.

"Okay. Meet me on the roof at 9:00. I need to talk to you."

Liam raised his eyebrows. He was still in shock—still trying to make sense of the fact that Claire was here, now, in Hempshear Town. He tried to say something, but Claire pressed her hand against his mouth.

"Don't tell anyone," she said.

Without another word, she stuffed her blonde hair back into her hoodie and disappeared from the shop. Liam stood flabbergasted for a moment, almost unable to believe what had just happened. Why was Claire here? Had she come back just to sabotage their visit to the gym? Was she really that petty?

And what did she expect from him anyways?

After rescuing his Sneasel from a pile of skirts and apologizing to the shopkeeper, Liam followed Stephanie and Ruth out of the shop. He almost expected to find Claire lurking nearby, keeping an eye on him, but he saw nothing out of the ordinary in the walking street outside.

Nevertheless, Liam felt a sense of dread settling over him. He now had a visit from Claire to look forward to, along with the Steel gym.


	44. Chapter 44

The classmates stopped for lunch at a traditional teahouse. Liam mostly listened as his friends discussed their plans for the gym battle that afternoon. He felt that opening his mouth would somehow lead to him revealing his meeting with Claire, no matter what he thought he was talking about. He knew his classmates wouldn't understand, and he was even unsure about telling Vasilio and Mori—at least until it was all over. Mori, he knew, would try to come with him, or wait until Claire arrived and attack her, whether with her Pokemon or her nails. Vasilio would probably try and dissuade him from meeting Claire at all. Liam knew Vasilio was probably right, but his curiosity was already getting the better of him. He just wanted to know why Claire was in Hempshear Town. Surely that wasn't so wrong?

After trying in vain to distract himself by looking at Mori—and receiving a reproving sneer from her Misdreavus—Liam decided he needed to say something before he exploded.

"So, where's the gym?" he said, trying to sound off-handed and casual.

"You're sitting in it," said Sylvia. "Well, sorta."

"This teahouse used to be the gym," Rain explained. "I don't know where they moved it after the old leader retired. I was hoping there would be a sign or something…"

For the first time, Liam noticed a sign at the far end of the cozy teahouse. "GYM CLOSED." He felt stupid for not noticing it before.

"Yeah, well, 'gym closed' isn't that helpful," said Jonah.

"I'll ask the waitress when she comes back," said Sylvia.

At that moment, they noticed the noise of an approaching motor. It was an unexpected sound—Hempshear Old Town's walking streets were cobbled or paved with stone blocks, and too narrow for cars and trucks to pass. Liam wondered for a panicked moment if the sound was connected to some scheme of Claire's, but his fears were put to rest as a motorcycle turned onto their street and parked in front of the teahouse.

The motorcycle's rider was one of the most unusual people Liam had seen in Nanzo. His hair was long and black, and braided into a ponytail that reached nearly to his waist. He wore a fierce and wiry goatee—also black, but flecked with gray. Yet while his hair and face reminded Liam of some ancient barbarian from the cold regions north of Beizo, his attire told a different story. He wore the leather jacket, chaps, and heavy boots of a Unovan Biker, with his Pokeballs strapped across his chest on a bandolier. As he spotted their group on the teahouse's veranda, he dismounted and approached with a slow, confident stride.

"Someone told me there were foreigners looking for my gym," said the man gruffly. "Would that be you?"

"That's us," said Sylvia pleasantly. "You must be Timur."

The man simply nodded.

"The Hempshear Gym is between the Three Pagodas," said Timur. "Look for the ancient stele. I'll be waiting."

And without another word, he returned to his motorcycle and rode away.

"He can't be from Nanzo, right?" said Liam. "He doesn't look anything like the people around here. Uh… no offense, Sylv."

"None taken," said Sylvia with a toothy grin. "And you're right. He's from Beizo. He moved here during the summer after Team Power took over the other regions. Now come on, let's get going. We shouldn't keep the gym leader waiting."

* * *

The Three Pagodas were a ten minute's walk from the north gate of Hempshear Old Town, but they were easy to find once they knew what they were looking for. The pagodas were cream in color, and comparable in height to Tin Tower back in Johto. They were arranged in a triangle, with the tallest pagoda to the east and the two smaller towers to the north and south end of an elevated park compound with green ponds and a small temple honoring the Dragon-type Pokemon that once lived in Hempshear—at least according to legend. The park reminded Liam of the one surrounding the pagoda that gave Jadetower City its name, where he had battled Fei last spring. Between Fei, Ashima, and now Timur, it was clear the gym leaders of Nanzo favored open-air gyms. It was the "Region of Eternal Spring," after all.

They found Timur leaning against his motorcycle, which was parked in front of a large stone stele—perhaps as tall as a Tyranitar. It bore an inscription in some ancient language Liam couldn't read. Timur himself was playing a bowed instrument with a long, wooden neck ending in a carved Rapidash's head. It made a low, droning, melancholy sound, quite different from that of the erhus that locals played back in Everspring.

They stood and listened for a long time. Liam quickly lost himself in the rhythmic scraping of the bow across the rough strings. His anxiety—about Chelsea, about facing the gym, about Claire—all left him, and his thoughts wandered to some faraway northern plain, where a thousand Rapidash and their riders thundered across an open and desolate land. Suddenly, Timur stopped, set down his fiddle and bow, and stood up.

"This stele memorializes a time long ago when my people—the great Pokemon riders from the northern steppe—brought all of the Four Regions under our rule. Hempshear Town was then a great city—the capital of an empire. My people made it low, in the name of the Great Khan."

Timur smiled. It transformed his face from the hardened visage of a biker to a kind uncle, delighted by the sight of some young people who were polite enough to listen to his stories. Liam and the others couldn't help but smile too.

"Now," said Timur. "Who will begin?"

"I will," said Liam.

"Ooh, go Liam," said Sylvia.

Liam gave a sheepish shrug. It wasn't that he was feeling confident—he just wanted to get this battle over with, however it ended. Timur patted him firmly on the shoulder.

"We will have a double battle," Timur explained as Liam followed him to the tournament field at the center of the Three Pagodas. "Four against four."

"Sounds good," said Liam.

It didn't sound good. Liam had almost no experience with double battles outside of Battle Class, and facing two Steel-type Pokemon at once sounded just as bad as facing one, if not worse.

"Now," said Timur, his voice suddenly gruff and coarse again. "You will face the Steel Rider of the North, descendant of the Great Khan himself. Behold!"

He took two Pokeballs from his bandolier and held them up to his mouth. At first, Liam thought he was breathing on them, but the sound coming from Timur's mouth wasn't breath—it was a deep, resonant drone, like the music of his fiddle, accompanied by a high, wispy, wavering note, like someone whistling through their teeth. Timur was singing to his Pokemon. Just as Liam found himself mesmerized once again by the droning melody, Timur released his Pokemon from their Pokeballs with a snap of his wrist.

"To battle!" he cried.

Liam was a little relieved when he saw the two Pokemon Timur had chosen—Bronzong and Scizor. Bronzong's Psychic typing made it vulnerable to Liam's more experienced Dark-type Pokemon, while Scizor—despite its attack power and speed—wouldn't stand a chance against his Houndour.

"Alright," said Liam, trying to sound confident. "Murkrow, Houndour, let's go!"

Murkrow squawked and took to the sky while Houndour crouched low and snarled at the opposing Pokemon.

"Scizor, U-Turn!" said Timur. "Bronzong, use Reflect!"

This hadn't been what Liam expected. For a grizzled and motorcycle-riding northern barbarian, Timur was a surprisingly defensive battler.

"Murkrow, Foul Play! Houndour, Fire Fang! Take out that Bronzong!"

After taking a heavy-hitting U-Turn from Scizor, Liam's Murkrow cloaked itself in a purplish shadow and dived at Bronzong, while Houndour lunged forward with a mouth full of burning teeth. Only the Reflect saved Bronzong from fainting. Nonetheless, Liam had a sneaking suspicion that he had just been played.

Timur's Scizor was replaced on the field by Skarmory. Liam was wary; he knew from Professor Werner that Skarmory was a versatile and dangerous Pokemon.

"Skarmory, Stealth Rock," growled Timur. "Bronzong: Explosion."

"Oh, crap, you're—."

BOOM.

The ground shook, and the sound of the blast echoed off the Three Pagodas. As the smoke and dust cleared, Liam saw that both of his Pokemon lay fainted on the field. Timur's Skarmory was almost unscathed.

Liam was beginning to panic.

"Uh," he said. "Sneasel, Espeon, go!"

It wasn't an ideal choice. It was hardly a choice—Liam had just sent out the first Pokemon that popped into his head. Still, he wasn't ready to give up. Not yet.

Liam's Pokemon winced as the floating shards left by Stealth Rock scraped and jabbed them. Sneasel in particular twitched with pain and discomfort, but it still slunk low, ready to continue the fight.

"Aggron, said Timur. "Go!"

The massive, iron-plated Pokemon shook the ground as it emerged from its Pokeball.

"Espeon, Helping Hand!" said Liam. "Sneasel, Ice Punch on Skarmory."

It was all he could think to do. Espeon was functionally useless against either opposing Pokemon—it lacked the type-effectiveness to make a dent against the heavily-armored Steel Pokemon. Even Sneasel could only deal neutral damage. Liam wasn't trying to win at this point. He was trying to survive, and hope for a lucky break.

"Aggron, Substitute," said Timur.

The Pokemon sprang backwards and out of range, leaving behind a fluffy Substitute doll in its place. Lima blinked. Timur's defensive battling style continued to surprise him.

"Skarmory," said Timur. "Roost."

That was it. Timur had trapped him. All that was left was the finishing move.

"Sneasel, get Skarmory with Ice Punch. Espeon, take out that sub with Psybeam."

Liam's heart wasn't in the commands. He knew it was over.

"Aggron," said Timur, closing his eyes. "Earthquake. Skarmory, use Brave Bird on Sneasel."

Liam braced himself as Timur's Aggron pounded the battlefield with its heavy tail. Espeon went tumbling into the nearby grass. Sneasel held on—just barely—before taking a Brave Bird from Skarmory.

They had lost.

* * *

Liam watched in silence as Vasilio, Stephanie, Ruth, Sylvia, Jonah, and even Mori each battled and defeated Timur. The contest between Ruth's Mega Blaziken and Timur's Mega Aggron would have been thrilling if Liam hadn't been so depressed. He had finally blown it. All those years of being a lazy trainer had finally caught up to him.

Stephanie had taken care of his fainted Pokemon, reviving them with her homemade medicine and soothing words. It amazed Liam that someone could be so talented as a Pokemon apothecary and so dangerous in battle. Stephanie's Lucario had thrashed its way through Timur's defenses, overcoming them with such a vicious all-out assault that Liam privately vowed he would never crack a joke about Kalosians and "surrendering" even again. She had glanced sympathetically at him once or twice, but otherwise, she held her tongue. Liam was grateful for that.

"You wanna try again?" asked Vasilio.

Liam shook his head.

"It won't make a difference. Let's go."


	45. Chapter 45

Claire's Braviary flew low and quiet over the old-fashioned houses of Hempshear Old Town. She knew she didn't really have to avoid being seen—no one (apart from Liam) knew she was even in Nanzo, and a Pokemon flying overhead was hardly an uncommon sight. Still, she had accustomed herself to thinking of Nanzo as an unfriendly place, full of unfriendly eyes, and she didn't want to attract any unnecessary attention.

Finding Liam had been trouble enough—Team Power's spies in Nanzo weren't interested in the movements of high schoolers, after all. It had taken a visit to a contact at Nanzo Telecom, and even then she had gotten lucky: if Orchid hadn't messaged Liam the day before, it would have been a dead end.

Claire spotted the three-story house where Rain's family lived. It was one of those weird buildings with a white tile exterior that seemed to keep going up and up. Claire would make sure Team Power demolished them when they took over Nanzo. They were an eyesore. On the open patio roof, Claire could see a detached room—perhaps a guest room of some kind—and a dark figure slumped in its shadow.

Either that was Liam, or she was about heading straight into a trap. She decided to risk it.

As her Braviary landed silently on the roof and she dismounted, Liam stood up and stepped out of the shadows. Claire thought he looked upset about something. There were dark spots around his brown eyes, and his dark brown hair was disheveled, as if he had been messing with it in agitation.

"Uh… hi," said Claire.

Claire realized that Liam was staring incredulously at her.

"What?" she said defensively.

"Are you gonna explain why you're here now?"

His voice was tense, and she felt herself growing agitated as well as her icy reception.

"I don't know," said Claire. "I just…"

She chewed her tongue. Liam seemed to relax.

"Go ahead," he said, settling down on the edge on the roof.

"I wanted to ask you something," said Claire.

"Okay."

"Are we friends?"

Liam seemed to think for a moment.

"Yeah," Liam said. "At least… you're my friend."

Claire felt relieved, and a little ashamed for feeling so relieved. She tried to collect herself and put up a strong front.

"Well, good. Because I wanted a friend to talk to."

Claire saw that Liam wasn't impressed by her facade of confidence.

"Can I…?"

She glanced meaningfully at the spot beside him.

"Sure," said Liam. "Just… keep your voice down. I want to be able to hear if someone's coming."

Claiire gave a satisfied smirk and hopped up onto the ledge beside him. A glance over her shoulder made her realize just how high up they were. She scooted a bit closer to Liam so she could grab him if she started falling. He recoiled a little.

"I'm not gonna kiss you again," said Claire defensively. "That was a… one time thing."

"That's fine with me," said Liam coolly.

Claire felt her face going red. She hoped Liam couldn't see it in the dark. It wasn't that she wanted to kiss him—that had just been a crazy moment of weakness after a night that still didn't seem real—but she had flattered herself that Liam had at least been grateful for it.

"So, uh… we talked about me a lot last time, and I… well, I thought we could talk about you."

"Um… okay," said Liam hesitantly. "What do you… want to know?"

It was an unbearably awkward start.

"Well, let's start with the hard one: where are you from?"

Claire noticed Liam cracking a slight smile. It had been the right first question.

"Johto," he said. "My parents are from Unova, but I've never really lived there."

"Oh," said Claire.

It was almost like a small gap had opened between them. Claire realized at once that Liam wasn't just a TCK in experience—he was one in identity. He had lived outside Unova long enough that he hesitated to claim it for himself. It wasn't like that for her. She had spent the first decade and more of her life in Unova. She was Unovan, and proud to be. Even after three years, Nanzo was still a strange and uncomfortable place to her. She still dismissed the idea that her dislike of Nanzo could be put down to "culture shock"—she wasn't that kind of foreigner.

Claire decided to try another line of attack.

"How do you like my old school?"

"It's… great," said Liam indifferently. "I… I've made good friends there, I guess."

Claire rolled her eyes.

"Seriously, what's up with you?" she said testily. "Last time you wouldn't stop grilling me about my dad and Grace Shaw and now I can barely get you to answer a simple question."

Liam frowned.

"I lost a gym battle today," he said. "Badly. Like, really badly."

"Oh," said Claire, trying to sound more sympathetic than she felt. "Sorry, I guess."

"And… there's also girl trouble," Liam admitted.

Despite herself, Claire perked up. This sounded like drama, and Claire liked drama.

"Which girl?" said Claire. "Come on, who am I gonna tell?"

Liam shifted uncomfortably.

"...Chelsea Whitaker," he mumbled.

Claire snorted, which made Liam get up and start pacing.

"Sorry," said Claire. "It's just… you don't seem like Chez's type."

It wasn't that Claire thought Liam was bad-looking. If anything, Claire liked the intense look that came into his eyes when he was worked up about something. It reminded her of herself. Still, he had a pointed nose, heavy eyebrows, and scruffy teenaged stubble around his chin. Not really the kind of guy her and Chez used to ogle in middle school.

"Great," said Liam. "That's just… you know what, forget it. I don't want your—."

"Oh, come on," said Chelsea. "You're so sensitive. I was just—."

"I'm so sensitive?" said Liam incredulously. "You're the one who takes everything so—."

Claired shushed him. She thought she had heard a sound at the bottom of the stairs that led to the roof, but as she strained her ears, there was nothing but the faint rustling of the wind.

"So you like Chez, huh?" said Claire in a low voice. "I figured you had a crush on Gr—uh, Mori."

"I did, originally," said Liam. "Back when I first met her. You should relate to that."

Claire flushed. She regretted telling Liam about the valentine, and she didn't like being reminded of it.

"So, why Chez, though?" said Claire, deciding to act like she hadn't heard the accusation. "Especially if your type is Mori. Don't you like bitchy girls with daddy issues?"

"Like you?"

Claire sighed. This was still going nowhere.

"I'm not like Grace—look, I'm here trying to be friendly, and you're—."

"Sorry," said Liam. "It's been a bad day. More like a bad semester, actually."

This seemed like a promising line of thought.

"What do you mean?"

Liam sighed wearily.

"Well, my girlfriend moved back to Unova at the beginning of summer, and then—."

"Wait, you have a girlfriend?" Claire interjected.

...ex-girlfriend," said Liam. "Cass McCloud. I think you two just missed each other—she came the semester after you left. Anyways, keeping up with her by email has been… painful. And then I've been having to take more responsibility in Team Virtue, and it hasn't been going well, especially since Professor Werner—."

"Wait, you're in Team Virtue?" asked Claire.

It seemed so obvious now that he mentioned it—Chelsea was in Team Virtue, and they were close. It made sense. Claire recognized some of the conceit the texts of the School of Power had taught her to expect in someone from Team Virtue. It made her feel superior. Liam clearly wasn't that sharp.

"Yeah," said Liam. "I basically lead it at school now. Professor Werner died about two weeks ago. It's been… I'm not good at it."

"Then you should practice until you get good at it," said Claire at once. "What's the good of just feeling sorry for yourself when other people—."

"I don't think you have any room to lecture me about self-pity," said Liam coldly.

Claire opened her mouth to argue, but she thought she heard another noise from downstairs. She was running out of time.

"So… how did you end up joining Team Virtue?" said Claire.

Liam's eyes narrowed.

"Ironically, I have Team Power to thank," he said. "It was after that guy Jiu crushed Chelsea's Scraggy to death, I decided I needed to stand up to Team Power, and the best way to do it was with the Team that beat them last time."

"I told you, that wasn't my fault," said Claire, feeling her anger rising. "Anyways, Jiu is—."

"Something else I realized is that everyone from Team Power talks tough," said Liam. "But when things get hard, they scatter. Whenever Silas shows up with his black Charizard—."

This was it. She was close. So close to what she was looking for. She chose her words carefully.

"You've seen Silas a lot?" she asked casually.

"Well, yeah," said Liam. "Seems like he drops everything every time something goes down at the school."

That was it. That was the information she had been fishing for. Now she just needed a way out. Something that wouldn't make him suspicious.

"Liam," she said, leaning towards him and lowering her voice. "Look, I'd love to stay and listen to you rant about how I'm a coward and everything, but—."

"I didn't say you were a coward," said Liam.

Claire paused. Liam's words were unexpected, and she found herself settling back in to continue their conversation. Surely a few minutes' delay wouldn't hurt.

"But you think I am," she said.

"No," said Liam. "I think you care too much about what other people think of you, and you think having power over them will make them respect you. That makes you a bully, I guess, but not—."

"Oh, come on," said Claire with a smirk. "You can say what you really think of me. I don't care what—."

"You don't care what your friends think of you?"

Claire paused. She wondered again if she should take the opportunity and leave.

"Listen, Liam, I don't care what you think of me because you still don't know me. You still don't understand. That doesn't mean we're not friends, it just…"

She shook her head. Why was she saying this to him? Why did she always feel the need to confess things when she was around him?

"I've done things. Necessary things. Things that you would think were horrible if you—."

"Like what?" asked Liam.

Claire grimaced. She had already said too much. She needed to leave. There was nothing keeping her here. She had found out what she came for. Rasmus would be wondering why she...

"You!"

Claire and Liam both jumped. Ruth Kong was staring at her with rage in her eyes. She must have come up the stairs to the roof without her noticing. A sudden panic came over Claire. She had to leave. She had to leave now.

"Why are you—? Liam, what is—?"

Ruth reached for the Pokeball in her pocket—the one Claire knew contained her Blaziken. Claire scrambled onto the edge of the roof. With a final terrified glance back at Ruth, she released her Braviary, leapt onto its back, and flew away into the night sky. Behind her, she could still hear Ruth shouting—maybe at her, maybe at Liam. She didn't care. She just wanted to get away.


	46. Chapter 46

"Liam!" said Ruth fiercely. "You will explain everything! Right now!"

"Okay," said Liam, holding his hands up defensively. "I… uh."

"Explain more quickly!"

"Ruth, this is too much pressure," Liam pleaded. "You're not gonna get any answers—."

"Answers about what?"

Sylvia, Stephanie, and Vasilio had followed Ruth onto the open roof. Liam was overcome by a sense of sudden panic.

"Claire was here!" said Ruth. "Liam was talking with her!"

"What?" said Sylvia. "Liam, what is she talking about? What were you—?"

Liam looked around, hoping someone was about to step in and stand up for him. But nobody did. Not even Vasilio.

"Look," said Liam, his voice quavering. "I promise I'm not a spy, and I promise it's not as bad as it looks, and I will do my best to explain everything. I just… can I do all that while sitting down?"

"Let's go to Rain's room," said Sylvia seriously. "Vasi, go get everyone else. I think Liam owes an explanation to them as well."

* * *

"Okay," Liam began when all seven of his classmates had crammed into Rain's bedroom. "So, this all goes back to Fall Camp, when I went missing for a few hours. I was telling the truth when I said I fell in the river, but I wasn't lost. I saw Claire just outside the camp and tried to chase her down. We got into a struggle, and we both fell into the river. We got swept maybe half a kilometer downstream. I came to before Claire did, and I dragged her into a cave to wait out the rain. During that time, we… got to know each other, I guess."

"And you'd never talked to her before that?" asked Sylvia.

"No," said Liam. "I mean, I'd seen her a few times, but I'd never said a word to her before that night."

"So what happened in the cave?" asked Stephanie.

Liam sighed.

"Well, honestly we just talked to pass the time. Mostly I learned more about her—stuff that you guys probably already know. Actually, there was one… maybe I should have told Miss Snyder, but I—."

"Oh, spit it out," said Mori impatiently.

"She told me her dad is the Grandmaster of Team Power," said Liam. "I think you guys all—."

"Wait, Claire's father?" said Rain in amazement. "Principal Morgan?"

"That… actually makes a scary amount of sense," said Sylvia, pushing her round glasses back up her nose. "Wait, you didn't tell anyone about this?"

"Vasi and Mori knew," said Liam, jerking his head towards them. "I mean, I had to tell someone."

"Why didn't you tell Miss Snyder the truth from the beginning?" asked Stephanie.

It was a hard question, but her tone was understanding rather than accusatory.

"I… I should have told her," said Liam, searching the room for something to look at other than his classmates' faces. "I just didn't want—I did it for Claire, okay? It felt like we were friends, and I didn't want to—."

"Friends?" repeated Sylvia in shock. "Liam, did you forget who she—?"

"I already gave him an earful about it, Madame President," said Mori. "Liam's a sucker, if you haven't noticed."

Ruth had been sizing Liam up in silence for the past few minutes.

"The motivations in your heart are right," she said at last. "But Claire is untrustworthy. If you treat her as a friend, it may lead to other people getting hurt. I believe that you don't want that."

Liam's heart sunk. He could tell Ruth wasn't angry at him—not anymore. But she had thought everything over carefully, and decided that she was disappointed instead. That was somehow worse.

"So this is only the second time you've talked to her?" said Sylvia.

"Yes," said Liam. "Well, she told me she was coming earlier today, but I didn't really get a word in. I don't have her phone number or anything. I've never sought her out. The first time was an accident, the second time she came to me."

Vasilio's expression darkened.

"What did she want?" he said quietly, as if they were in danger of being overheard. "I can't believe she came here just to—."

"She's miserable," interjected Liam, prompting another round of incredulous looks. "Sorry, I know you think I'm just getting played by her, but I really think she doesn't like it in Team Power. She's really just there because of her dad, and—."

"Stop," said Mori in a trembling voice. "Stop before you say something that—."

Vasilio put a hand on Mori's shoulder, and she fell silent.

"Well, either way, you're not gonna talk to her any more," said Sylvia. "I hope we can agree on that, at least."

Liam gave a very reluctant nod.

"Liam, if she really is miserable, she can leave Team Power," said Stephanie. "Nobody is stopping her from doing that, right?"

"No," said Liam with a sigh. "I just think… No, shutting up. You guys are right. All of you. And… sorry. I should have been honest from the beginning, and I should have been careful."

They were all silent for a while.

"Well," said Sylvia at last. "I think that's enough drama and scolding for one night. We've gotta catch the early train back to Everspring tomorrow. Let's get to bed."

Jonah gave a loud yawn.

"Man, I am just… You guys mind if I hit the sack?"

Liam and Vasilio both shook their heads. The girls were slowly filtering out of the room, stretching and yawning as they went. Mori was the last of them to leave. She had been sitting quietly in the corner of the room with an unreadable expression. Liam wasn't sure what to make of her reaction. She had shielded him from Sylvia, but that didn't mean she was happy with him. In fact, he had a theory it meant quite the opposite.

"I wanna talk to you," she said.

Liam followed her out onto the roof. They waited until the voices downstairs had faded away and Jonah shut the door to Rain's room.

"Mori," began Liam, "I—."

WHACK.

Mori slapped Liam across the face.

"You idiot!" she shouted. "You complete idiot. I showed you who she really was, and you went right back to her. I can't believe how stupid you are. You're all like this. Boys that say they care about you, then they all turn out to be stupid. You're so… ugh! I'm done with you. Don't ever talk to me again. I'm sick of being betrayed."

Mori pushed past him and disappeared down the stairs. Liam heard the door to the roof slam. That was it. He had finally messed up everything.

* * *

It was nearly midnight, and Liam was still sitting alone on the roof. His Espeon was curled up beside him, dozing contentedly as Liam stroked its soft, purple fur. Liam was looking at his PokeGear, checking the text message he had been writing and rewriting for the past hour.

_Chez, I'm really sorry about the Claire thing. I should have told you. You had the right to know that. And it doesn't matter how you found out. I'm sorry for not treating you like a friend. Turns out I'm really bad at treating people like friends._

His finger hovered over the send button. He knew she was probably asleep—knew it was selfish to wake her up with a text message at 11:56. But he could help it. He needed to open up to someone, and there was no one here that wanted to listen. He didn't blame them.

Liam pressed send and set his Pokegear down beside him. Espeon twitched and flicked its tail, but didn't wake. Just moments after the text message was delivered, Liam heard his PokeGear buzzing against the tile floor. Someone was calling him.

He knew exactly who it was.

"Hello?"

"Hey bro," came Cheslea's voice. "I saw your message. I was wondering when you'd finally man up and apologize."

"S-sorry if I woke you up," Liam stammered. "It's just been… a bad day."

"Nah, it's fine. It's break, you know? So, what's going on?"

Liam hesitated. He sensed that if he began to tell Chelsea the truth, everything would come out.

"I lost the gym battle," he said, trying to keep his voice steady. "Really, really badly. Like, I didn't stand a chance. And then… I saw Claire again. She said she just wanted to talk. I was just… trying to help her, you know? I thought that if I… tried to be her friend, then maybe she… but I was being stupid. And n-now—."

His voice broke.

"This… w-whole semester has just been… a c-complete disaster. And I don't know if I can… I don't think I can b-be the person Professor—."

He couldn't say it. He did his best to restrain the choking sobs.

"Hey, bro?" said Chelsea. "Who you are now… is okay. I like him—er, you. Not that I—ugh, why can't I say things without being awkward?"

Liam gave a weak laugh.

"Anyways," Chelsea continued. "I don't think Professor Werner was wrong about you. I think he knew exactly what kind of guy you are. So you should trust him. And trust me. You're trying to be a better friend, right?"

"Right," sad Liam, almost hesitantly.

"I should go back to bed," said Chelsea. "Hey, is Espie there with you?"

"Yeah," said Liam, glancing down at his sleeping Pokemon.

"Well, give him a hug and say it's from me," said Chelsea. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Chez," said Liam, and he hung up.

Espeon gave a small mew and glanced up at him.

"We should probably sleep inside," said Liam. "By the way: here's something from Chelsea."

He picked up his Pokemon and squeezed it in the way he thought Chelsea probably would have, had she been there. Espeon gave an annoyed growl.

"Alright, let's go sleep inside," said Liam. "And hope tomorrow turns out better."


	47. Chapter 47

Liam was the last one to make his way down to breakfast the next morning. It wasn't that he had slept in or anything like that—he was just afraid to face his friends. His reception, however, was just as warm as always. It was clear that, regardless of what happened the night before, they weren't about to send Liam into exile. As he nibbled on his eggs and toast, Liam noticed that Vasilio seemed to be silently urging Mori to do something, and at last, she got up from her seat beside Vasilio and took the one beside Liam.

"Hey," said Mori quietly. "I… sorry about last night. Well, not that sorry. I still stand by about 95% of what I said, and—."  
"I deserved it."

"Of course you deserved it—but stop being such a pushover. Anyways, I still think you're stupid, and I'm still really pissed at you, but… I'm trying to grow up and stop pushing people away so much. So I'm gonna give you another chance. Not for your sake, but for mine. Okay?"

"Okay," said Liam. "Thanks, Mori."

"Uh huh," said Mori, leaning back and blowing a strand of black hair out of her face. "I'm so ready to get out of this place. I'm sick of all of you, actually. Especially him."

Her eyes flicked towards Vasilio.

"Did he guilt you into apologizing?" asked Liam with a sly grin.

"I can always take it back," threatened Mori through clenched teeth.

"No further questions, Your Honor," said Liam with a wink.

* * *

Liam mostly slept on the train journey back to Everspring. He wasn't alone in this—Stephanie and Ruth spent the entire ride dozing against each other, and Mori finally kicked Vasilio out of the seat next to her so she could curl up under a Gengar-patterned blanket that she insisted was just "something she grabbed from home, and wipe that smirk off your face, Liam, or I'll tell Missy to fry you with a Thunderbolt."

When he wasn't leaning exhaustedly against the window, Liam thought back on his midnight phone call with Chelsea. He was half-convinced that Chelsea had almost admitted that she returned his feelings, but he was also half-convinced that he was reading way too much into a conversation that happened too late at night to mean that much in the waking world. Either way, Liam also remembered Mori's evaluation of Chelsea from earlier that semester. She was, in some ways, still a kid. She was goofy, and tomboyish, and clearly had some boundary issues. Liam still wasn't quite sure if he trusted her or he just liked to look at her. That at least was undeniable: Liam found Chelsea very attractive. From her tangled red hair to her carelessly-applied eyeliner to her dark freckles, Liam simply loved to look at her. She wasn't conventionally pretty—not in the way Mori or Sylvia or Stephanie was—but still, she was….

Liam shook himself. This was an unhelpful place for his mind to wander. After all, there were plenty of good reasons not to nurture his attraction to Chelsea. One of his best friends couldn't stand her. She was more than a year younger than he was. And right now, he was supposed to be her mentor, not her boyfriend.

* * *

Liam spent the remainder of fall break either lazing around the house with his Pokemon or lazing around New Court with his friends. Mori was back under "parental sanctions," but he saw Vasilio, Taylor, and the other New Court residents fairly often. I Am Munchlax practiced a few times—the school talent show was fast approaching—and Liam was one of many students that stopped by to watch the band perform.

When they did venture beyond New Court, it was usually for food. What little money Liam had saved over the semester was quickly spent on shao kao, bottled tea, and pizza—the latter being an expensive foreign delicacy in Nanzo. They had a few Pokemon battles, but Liam was still feeling discouraged by his failure in Hempshear, and he only rarely participated. By the last Friday of break, he was eager to return to school. He had been meditating on his failures for long enough.

He needed the chance to do something about them.


	48. Chapter 48

Liam noticed a strange man sitting at Professor Werner's old desk as he passed the Tactics classroom on his way to first period. It was one of those moments that came as more of a shock than it should have, and Liam's surprise that Professor Werner had already been replaced distracted him so much that he somehow failed to get a good look at the man. He was forced to rely on Orchid's vague and unsatisfying descriptions as they shared a bag of chips during the morning break.

"So, what did he look like?"

Orchid shrugged.

"I dunno. N-normal, I guess?"

Liam gave her a sidelong glance.

"Well, where is he from?"

"Maybe Unova? I d-don't think he said."

"Okay, what was his name?"

"L-something? I can't remember."

"Okay, what do you remember?"

Orchid sucked absent-mindedly on a strand of her long, black hair.

"He s-seemed nice," she said at last. "And he didn't give us homework."

That, Liam reasoned, was probably all Orchid cared about. He would have to wait to see the new professor himself.

* * *

At close up, the teacher who replaced Professor Werner seemed like he couldn't be more different. He was young—perhaps thirty at most—with curly, reddish hair and a scruffy beard over his boyish face. His clothes hung loose over his thin frame, giving him an almost slovenly appearance despite his tie, collared shirt, and long overcoat. He seemed incredibly pleased to see them, and his eyes smiled and sparkled as they took their usual seats in his classroom.

"I'm Professor Lloyd," he said. "I would say you could just call me Andrew, but Principal Kahakai informed me that both the last name and the 'Professor' are obligatory."

Some of the other students laughed, but Liam was immediately put off by the contrast to Professor Werner's stern and stoical classroom manner. He knew it was irrational—there were plenty of good teachers that didn't work students to the bone—but the last thing he wanted right now was for Advanced Tactics to turn into a laid-back class with lots of "discussion."

"I know that seeing teachers come and go is normal for all of you," Professor Lloyd continued. "But, this change is harder than usual, and so I think it's better if we take some time to get to know each other before we jump back into the world of Pokemon tactics. I know Professor Werner was a well-loved teacher, and that replacing him will be no easy task."

There was a long silence. Liam thought the other students were impressed by Professor Lloyd's conciliatory demeanor, but he was not.

"What are your qualifications to teach this class?" Liam blurted out.

Liam felt Vasilio elbow him forcefully under the table. Sylvia and Stephanie glanced back at Liam with uncomfortable looks on their faces. Professor Lloyd, however, seemed unphased.

"That's a fair question. And I don't mind taking some time to tell you about myself, if that's an acceptable answer. What's your name, by the way?"

"Liam."

He tried to keep his face impassive.

"Well, Liam, I'm from Unova, as you can probably tell from my voice and how I look. My wife is Kantonian. We met at Castelia University, where I got my double degree in Pokemon Strategy and Pokemon Philosophy."

"Do you have badges?" asked Liam.

This was also an impertinent question, but once again Professor Lloyd seemed unperturbed.

"Oh yes," he said. "You need all 8 badges to enter Castelia University if you want to study Pokemon. I've also completed the League Challenge in Kanto."

He reached into his tan messenger bag and took out a black case, which he handed to Ruth in the front row.

"Take a look and pass it around. I never bothered to challenge the Elite Four," he confessed. "Too competitive for my tastes."

Liam frowned.

"Wait, how can you be teaching a Tactics class if you don't like—?"

"Liam, stop being rude," said Sylvia.

"It's alright," said Professor Lloyd. "Perhaps it would be better if I…"

He glanced around the room.

"Let's see if we can get these desks out of the way."

After a moment's hesitation, Liam and the other students got to their feet and did their best to rearrange the room. They all knew what was coming, even if Professor Lloyd hadn't said anything, and it was going to be a first. Liam was fairly certain there was something in the school handbook about not battling in classrooms, but he didn't feel like bringing the matter up with a brand new teacher.

"Alright," said Professor Lloyd, rubbing his hands together. "Liam, pick a format for us."

Liam thought for a moment.

"Singles," said Liam. "2 Pokemon each?"

"Sounds excellent," said Professor Lloyd. "Have you picked your lead?"

Liam had known this was coming.

"Sure," he said. "When… whenever you're ready."

Professor Lloyd reached into his coat pocket and took out a Net Ball.

"Okay," said Liam, taking a deep breath. "Houndour, go!"

It was a risky choice. Houndour was one of his weakest Pokemon—other than Nuzleaf—but Liam felt confident. Whatever this new teacher threw at him, he could handle it.

"Hmm," said Professor Lloyd, raising an eyebrow. "Your Houndour looks close to evolving, Liam. Unfortunately, I seem to be at a disadvantage. Go, Durant!"

The armored Pokemon's steel-plated legs clinked against the tile floor, and its pincers clicked menacingly. Liam smiled. This wouldn't be a problem.

"Durant, Entrainment."

Professor Lloyd's Durant wiggled its antennae in a mesmerizing dance. Liam's Houndour blinked, then shuddered, but appeared unharmed.

"Houndour, Fire Fang!"

Houndour sprang forward with a snarl and snapped at Durant with its burning jaws. Even with Durant's strong defense, it was a devastating attack, and it left Durant's metal armor singed and scorched.

"Durant, return," said Professor Lloyd. "Go, Leavanny."

It was a very strange choice, and it made Liam wonder what kind of game the new teacher was playing with him.

"Um, if you don't mind me asking, what ability does your Durant have?"

"Truant," said Professor Lloyd, very matter-of-factly.

"Crap," muttered Liam.

He weighed his options. Staying in seemed like suicide, even against a weak Pokemon like Leavanny. Even with the type advantage, going every other turn would be a crippling limitation. He decided to swap out.

"Houndour, return. Go, Murkrow."

He hadn't planned to use Murkrow in this fight, but he also wasn't planning to lose, so he went straight for his strongest asset.

"Leavanny, use Grass Whistle," said Professor Lloyd.

Liam searched his mind to try and remember what Grass Whistle did, but the answer quickly became obvious. Murkrow slumped into a deep snooze. Professor Lloyd had played him again.

"Leavanny, Swords Dance," said Professor Lloyd.

Liam noticed a hint of self-satisfied confidence in his voice. Clearly, this battle was going exactly as he intended. He knew it ought to switch out Murkrow, but that was what Professor Lloyd was expecting.

"Murkrow, Wing Attack!" Liam shouted.

Murkrow twitched its feathers slightly, but otherwise ignored him.

"Leavanny, use Swords Dance again!" said Professor Lloyd.

"Murkrow, come on," said Liam, gritting his teeth in frustration, "Wing Attack!"

But Murkrow was still snoozing peacefully, its head lolling to one side.

"Oh, forget it," said Liam. "Murkrow, get back here. Houndour, go!"

Liam's sleeping Pokemon returned to its ball as Houndour leapt back into battle.

"Leavanny, Baton Pass," said Professor Lloyd.

Liam bit his tongue. Professor Lloyd was still one step ahead of him. He didn't know the exact stats on Durant and Houndour's base speed, but he had a feeling.

"Houndour, just... Fire Fang! Now!" Liam shouted, not bothered to conceal the frustration he felt.

"Durant, Giga Impact," said Professor Lloyd.

Durant, as it turned out, was faster than Houndour. Significantly so. The blow from Durant's steel-armored body sent Houndour crashing into the far wall of the room. He didn't have to check whether his Pokemon had fainted.

"Houndour, return," said Liam bitterly. "Murkrow, get out there and wake up!"

There was still a chance for him to win. Durant would spend the next turn loafing around, and if his Murkrow could just wake up and turn those two Swords Dances against Durant, the battle could still be his. Maybe.

"Murkrow, Foul Play!" said Liam.

His Pokemon stirred, ruffled its feathers, yawned… and then went back to sleep.

"Durant," said Professor Lloyd. "Let's try Giga Impact again."

Liam chewed his tongue in frustration. This was it.

"Murkrow, come on, Foul Pl—!"

But it was over. Liam stared at the floor in shame as Professor Lloyd's Durant lunged forward with extraordinary speed and clobbered his Murkrow, which awoke just long enough to let out of pathetic squawk. As he recalled his fainted Pokemon, Liam did his best to avoid the eyes of his teacher, and his friends.

"Well," said Professor Lloyd brightly. "That was fun."

He offered a hand to Liam.

"I got lucky," he said apologetically. "More than once. Another day, it could have ended completely differently."

Liam shook his hand reluctantly.

"As you can see, I like high risk strategies," said Professor Lloyd. "I love the excitement of the gamble, when the outcome hinges on Sleep, Paralysis, Confusion… Or just one point of speed."

He patted Liam's shoulder reassuringly.

"It means I lose more than I should, but I have fun doing it."

Liam had been right—Professor Lloyd was very different from Professor Werner. And he still wasn't sure if he liked him. Still, this was someone he could learn from. Someone who understood things about battling that he didn't, even if they were different things than what Professor Werner had prized.

"Let's get these desks back in order," said Professor Lloyd. "We'll get started with real class tomorrow. I believe your lunch break is next."

The other students thanked Professor Lloyd and hurried out the door. As Liam began to listlessly pack his canvas bag, he noticed that Professor Lloyd was leaning casually against his desk.

"Sorry," Liam muttered.

"Christine—uh, Miss Snyder did warn me that there was a 'difficult' student in this class," said Professor Lloyd with a slight smile. "Well, two difficult students," he added with a glance toward Mori. "I understand you're good friends with Miss Shaw, though, Liam."

"Yeah," said Liam. "She goes by Mori, by the way. I don't know what it says on your paper, but—."

"I'll make a note of that," said Professor Lloyd. "She's adopted, I'm guessing."

"Yeah," said Liam. "Mori is her original family name."

"Kantonian?"

"Hoennian," corrected Liam. "But I don't think she's ever been there."

"I notice you have a slight Johto accent."

Liam nodded.

"You're the first person that's ever picked it out."

"I've been to Johto a few times," Professor Lloyd explained. "I guess you must have lived there for a long time?"

"More than ten years," said Liam.

"Interesting," said Professor Lloyd. "How long have you been in Everspring?"

"Less than a year."

"I've only just arrived myself," said Professor Lloyd. "I used to be at Neos International School in Ferrum. It's part of the same network of schools."

"What did you teach there?"

"Tactics," said Professor Lloyd. "And Pokemon philosophy. The same things I'll be doing here."

There was a pause.

"I better… go find someone to eat lunch with," said Liam, picking up his bag.

"I was only joking about you being a difficult student," said Professor Lloyd. "Sort of. I happen to like students that ask questions."

"Well, I'll do my best," said Liam sheepishly.

"Good," said Professor Lloyd.


	49. Chapter 49

Finding someone to eat lunch with proved more difficult than Liam had anticipated. Vasilio was the first to make his excuses—he had a "totally not a date" with Rebecca. Mori was going somewhere—she wouldn't say exactly where—with Dustin and his crew. Sylvia, Ruth, and Jonah had a lunch meeting with the SGA. Stephanie was eating with her sister, and Liam would have felt too awkward to ask to eat with her anyways.

Chelsea seemed the most obvious option. He knew she usually ate with the other freshmen, but he thought he could detach her for some one-on-one time… if he could find her first. When he did finally catch her on the way out of the school gate, however, she was so already engaged with a large crowd of her classmates that Liam knew it was hopeless.

"What's your secret?" said Liam to the Mightyena that lounged beside the gate guard's shack. "Girls can't stay away from you?"

The shaggy Pokemon yawned and wagged its tail.

"Thanks for the advice," said Liam.

"He always g-gives good advice," said a quiet voice at Liam's shoulder.

It was Orchid. Liam immediately felt embarrassed, and wondered whether she had heard his original question.

"You up for lunch?" said Liam, trying to sound casual.

"S-sure," said Orchid, and they left out the main gate together.

They walked in silence for a while. Liam knew it was better to let Orchid choose the subject first.

"When can I b-borrow your Houndour?" asked Orchid as they passed the first shop around the corner from the school.

"When are you gonna have time to paint him?"

Orchid shrugged.

"Maybe tonight," she replied. "It might take a f-few days."

They were walking by the Traditional Ji Minority Restaurant, and Liam noticed the sound of raucous foreign voices from inside. It was the group of freshmen that Chelsea had left with, just as cheery and wild as ever, crowded around one of the low tables and (by the sound of it) having a marvelous time. Liam spotted Chelsea sitting between Marsha and John, a Ferrumian boy that Liam had talked to once or twice. Actually, "sitting" was putting it mildly—Chelsea was leaning against him, giggling and grinning at some hilarious story he was telling. He whispered something in her ear, and in response she poked him with her chopsticks, provoking another round of laughter. They elbowed each other in the ribs, then laughed again—Chelsea's freckled face turning redder and redder with her growing mirth.

The sight made Liam's stomach turn. Liam searched his memory, trying desperately to find other moments, other interactions that could clarify what he was seeing. He had watched Chez and John battling together back at fall camp, but… that had been nothing. He hoped it had been nothing. He wasn't sure anymore.

"They're s-so… loud," muttered Orchid as the laughter of the other freshmen faded from earshot.

"Yeah," said Liam.

He resolved not to think about it anymore. He was out with Orchid—a pretty, talented girl who had invited him to a school dance. He decided to focus on her.

"How long is it until Winter Ball, again?" asked Liam.

Orchid shrugged.

"It's like… December 12. Maybe? I don't know."

"Are you not excited?"

Orchid shot Liam an agitated glance.

"It's a dance," she said dismissively. "I just asked you b-because you were my friend. It's n-not that I—."

"That's not what I meant," said Liam quickly. "It just… sounds like fun. I bet the food will be good."

Orchid glanced at Liam again, and, seeing that he was being serious, visibly relaxed.

"N-noodles for lunch?"

"Sure," said Liam. "Oh, and here."

He handed Orchid the Pokeball that held his Houndour.

"Just don't level him up. I wanna be there when he evolves."

Orchid's eyes lit up.

"Can I b-borrow him again when that happens?"

"Of course," said Liam.

Orchid's hummed excitedly as she pocketed the Pokeball.


	50. Chapter 50

Claire fell to her knees, clutching her chest. Her head was spinning, and her mind felt like it had just been stretched across a thousand miles and then shoved back into her body. Beside her, Rasmus was staring up at the High Dzong—the home of the Pokemon League in the remote Tubon Plateau.

"I'll fly back," said Claire, still breathing heavily.

Rasmus laughed.

"You'll... get used to it," he said softly.

Claire doubted it. Teleporting with Rasmus felt like being tossed in a washing machine with a hungry Darkrai. It wasn't just that it made her sick to her stomach. Being so close to Rasmus—with no barrier between his mind and hers—filled her with a primal terror. She shook herself, and crawled slowly to her feet.

The High Dzong was hundreds of years old—and perhaps even older than that—harkening back to an ancient kingdom dedicated to the teachings of the School of Balance. While Claire regarded the present Team Balance as pathetic, lacking in both ambition and achievement, she knew enough about the history of the Four Regions to respect the Pokemon masters that had ruled from the High Dzong. They had been powerful, and ruled the Tubon Plateau with an iron fist up until the Second Pokemon War. Now, it was a retreat—a hideaway for the weak and discredited Pokemon League. Eventually, she and her father would rule all the Four Regions from its halls.

For now, however, it was a simple matter of getting in and out without being seen or heard.

* * *

"What is it?" asked Liam.

Taylor shrugged.

"I dunno. Can't see. Liz said it was something about Team Power."

"Oh. great."

Liam tried to push his way to the front of the crowd of students, but with limited success. Miss Snyder, Professor Wort, and Professor Shrike were fruitlessly attempting to disperse the onlookers. They were guarding what seemed to be graffiti on the inner wall of the schoolyard, written in vibrant white and gold. Liam could just make out the top of the letters "T-E-A-M."

"I promise it'll still be here to stare at later," Miss Snyder was saying. "Now get to class. The bell is going to ring in—."

A shadow passed over the students, and everyone looked up to see Silas' black Charizard whirling overhead.

"Oh, way to make a low-key entrance, Silas," said Miss Snyder, rolling her eyes.

The Pokemon League champion, wearing his usual trench coat and sunglasses, dismounted his Charizard and pushed his way through the crowd of students. They all fell silent as Silas reached the front of the group, eager to hear what he would say.

"This happened this morning?" said Silas.

Miss Snyder nodded. Silas took off his aviator sunglasses and hung them on the collar of his shirt.

"They put the gate guard's Mightyena to sleep," said Professor Wort. "I found traces of Spore on its fur."

Silas crossed his arms.

"This is weird," said Silas, lowering his voice.

The students crowded closer, and the hush became absolute.

"I thought you said Team Power didn't have a presence in Everspring anymore," said Professor Shrike—rather sharply, Liam thought.

"No," said Silas again. "They shouldn't. Something's off about this whole thing. Either we're getting played for— ."

Someone's phone was ringing. Miss Snyder fumbled with her jacket and picked up the call.

"Yes? Yeah, he's here."

She passed the phone to Silas.

"It's Fei."

The students crowded even closer, hoping to hear the voice on the other end.

"Fei?" said Silas. "Yeah, I just got here. What's—?"

There was dead silence. In the distance, Liam heard the school bell ring, but nobody moved.

"What?" said Silas, sounding genuinely alarmed. "He's there? Yes, I'll be—no don't try to… I'm on my way."

He handed the phone back to Miss Snyder with a single word.

"Rasmus."

The students immediately began whispering and muttering to each other. Silas grabbed the first Pokeball on his belt, released his Charizard, and flew away into a gray morning sky.

"Alright, excitement's over," said Miss Snyder, trying to herd the students in the direction of the main school building. "Gawping at the League Champion isn't grounds for an excused tardy. Get moving."

As the crowd of students dispersed, Liam finally got a clear look at the message:

"TEAM POWER IS COMING."

"Vaguely ominous," he said lightly.

"Yeah," said Vasilio, who was standing next to him. "Also Claire-level theatrical."

"Could be," said Liam evasively.

* * *

"Hold them off," said Rasmus.

He was sweating, and his skin was unusually pale. Prying open the door to the High Dzong's vault was clearly taking everything he had.

"Easy for you to say," said Claire irritably. "Bisharp, Iron Head! Zebstrika, Thunderbolt on that Mienshao!"

Fei, the young Flying-type gym leader from Jadetower City, hadn't been too hard to deal with. Claire's Zebstrika made short work of Fei's airborne team, while Rasmus had overpowered the other guards without a struggle. The lavishly-decorated interiors of the Dzong would have been a maze to Claire, but Rasmus had known exactly where they were going. Within a few minutes, they had found the vault, and Rasmus had gone to work attempting to force it open. Time wasn't on their side. By now, Silas knew they were here, and he was rushing back to the Tuban Plateau. And the rest of the Blackwing Crew—Nanzo's Elite Four—could be even closer.

"Braviary, Tailwind!" shouted Claire. "Bisharp, use Night Slash! Zebstrika—."

"Hey, Raz," said a drawling voice. "Fancy seein' you here."

Rasmus whirled around. On the far end of the corridor, a lanky, slouching trainer with thick glasses and a beatnik goatee was looking at the intruders with a bemused expression.

"That's Dennis," said Rasmus to Claire. "The Elite Four's Electric-type master."

"Great," said Claire. "That's just great. Now get that door open before—."

"Who's the girl, Raz?" said Dennis, taking a Pokeball out of his pocket. "Seems a little young for you. Anyways, Silas would be a little upset if I let you break into the vault and get your Pokemon back, so—."

"Shut him up," said Rasmus through clenched teeth. "I need to... focus."

Dennis spun his Pokeball on the tip of his finger like a basketball.

"Send 'em packin,' Shadow," said Dennis.

A black Manectric sprang from the Pokeball. With a loud bark, it lunged at Bisharp, clamping its electrified jaws on its metal armor.

"Crap," said Claire. "Bisharp, shake him off! Zebstrika, Flame Charge on that Manectric. Rasmus, if you don't have that thing open in—."

"Quiet!" said Rasmus. "It's… almost…"

KRAAAANG.

There was an ear-splitting noise of metal bending under intense force. The huge door of the vault lurched open as its hinges crumbled. Rasmus sprang into the opening, leaving Claire alone in the corridor to face Dennis and the league guards. As he disappeared, Claire heard another sound—a sound that turned her rising anxiety into real panic.

CHAAAR!

"Rasmus!" she called. "He's here! We need to leave."

Dennis chuckled.

"You shouldn't let Raz drag you into things," he said to Claire, with the air of someone giving obvious advice to a young friend. "It never works out."

Claire gritted her teeth. She had no intention of getting captured. She wondered whether Braviary could outrun Silas' Charizard. She'd done it before. If she could recall her other Pokemon and jump onto her Braviary, she might be able to escape before Silas could catch up with her—assuming she could even find her way out of the High Dzong's interconnected halls and winding passages.

CHAARR!

Silas and his Charizard were in the corridor. There was no escape now. Claire thought about how disappointed her father would be. She had messed up again.

"Get your Pokemon."

It was Rasmus. He was clutching a belt of dusty Pokeballs in his hand. Claire quickly scanned the corridor. Her Zebstrika lay fainted against the wall. Her Bisharp was still struggling with Dennis' shiny Manectric, unable to wrench itself free from the Pokemon's jaws. Her Braviary, its feathers singed and ruffled, was whirling overhead. Claire rushed to recall her Pokemon as she felt Rasmus' hand on her shoulder.

"Let's go," he said.

"Wait!" said Claire. "I haven't—."

But she could already feel her mind being jerked upwards—her body dissolving into energy as she left the High Dzong behind.

* * *

Chelsea was rummaging frantically through her locker, pulling out textbooks, crumpled papers, empty Potions, and unused notebooks and scattering them on the floor. Marsha was watching her with obvious concern.

"It's got to be here," said Chelsea irritably. "Why wouldn't they—?"

Marsha glanced at Liam, silently begging him to intervene.

"You alright, Chez?" said Liam cautiously.

Chelsea peeked around the door of her locker.

"I'm looking for something," she said mysteriously.

"Yeah, I gathered," said Liam. "Do you need help?"

She gave a defeated sigh.

"No," she said. "It's just that I don't… get it."

She squatted down and began to listlessly collect her scattered belongs and stuff them back in her locker. Liam leaned over to help her.

"You don't get what?" said Liam.

Chelsea looked at him as though the answer was obvious.

"Why wasn't there a message?"

"What?"

Chelsea frowned, as if Liam were being intentionally dense.

"Remember the notes, bro?" she elaborated. "Everything else that's happened… there's been a note in my locker. Did they not..?"

Chelsea noticed the uncomfortable expression on Liam's face.

"What?"

"Come on," said Liam as he collected and smoothed out Chelsea's crumpled papers. "You like a good conspiracy. Who do you think has been sending these notes? Who has—."  
"It's not Claire," said Chelsea quickly.

Liam blinked. Chelsea snatched the paper from him and shoved them into her locker, slamming it shut.

"I just… know it," said Chelsea. "Trust me, it's…"

She bit her lip.

"Okay," said Liam. "I'll… trust you. But we still have a mystery, then. If this isn't Claire sending you messages for her own reasons, then who is? And why didn't they tell us about—?"

"Perhaps they were… oblivious of the vandalism," suggested Marsha, clearly reaching deep into her mental catalogue of SAT words.

Liam shrugged.

"I guess that's… possible," said Liam. "Either way, there's something off about this."

Chelsea nodded. Liam was thinking back to Hempshear Town, to his rooftop conversation with Claire. He must have said something. Something he shouldn't have. Maybe that was why she was there in the first place. It wasn't about him. She was just using him.

"It's not your fault," said Chelsea.

Liam raised an eyebrow. He couldn't believe he had given away that much without even opening his mouth, but Chelsea was unusually astute—at least when it came to other people's secrets.

"I think it probably is," said Liam. "But… nothing I can do about it now."

* * *

As soon as they rematerialized on the roof of the Team Power hideout, Claire began a frantic search of her belongings. She found her Pokeballs on her belt. Braviary was there—so was Zebstrika. But her last Pokeball was empty.

They had left her Bisharp behind.

Claire tried to control herself—tried to suppress the welling of panic that was already making her hands tremble. If Rasmus saw her like this—but he already knew. He knew everything. And the tears were already flowing down her face.

"We have to go back!" she said wildly. "My Bisharp, he—."

"We can't go back," said Rasmus. "Get another Pokemon. Your Bisharp is—."

"I went there for you!" spat Claire. "I went their so you could get your stupid Pokemon back, and now you're telling me that—."

"My Pokemon are strong," said Rasmus. "Yours are replaceable. But you don't really believe that, do you? You thought you proved it when you threw away your Bouf—."

"Shut up!" shouted Claire. "You're… I wish I had left you in that cocoon to rot!"

Rasmus' expression was blank, but Claire thought she saw a cruel flicker in his deep blue eyes.

"You should have," he said simply.

Claire stared at him in disbelief. His cruelty and indifference went beyond anything taught in the texts of the School of Power. This was someone who took pleasure in the suffering of others—someone that didn't have normal human feelings of affection or mercy or love.

At the moment, it all became clear: there was a reason the Elite Four had hidden Rasmus away. It wasn't just that they were afraid of him. They were his friends. They knew what he was.

"Screw you!" Claire spat. "I'm gonna tell the Grandmaster. I'm gonna tell him what you did, and what you are, and I don't care what happens to me!"

Claire ran. She didn't care where she was going—she didn't really want to find the Grandmaster, Sh just wanted to get away from him. She wanted to cry for her Bisharp. Because he was right.

She was weak.


	51. Chapter 51

"I can't figure out what you're looking for with this one," said Liam, tapping his pencil irritably at the last question.

"What I'm looking for?" repeated Professor Lloyd, sounding puzzled. "Liam, don't worry about what I'm looking for. I want to know how you would approach this battle."

"But there's more than one way I could do," Liam objected.

"Then pick whichever way you think is best," said Professor Lloyd. "Pokemon battling isn't sudoku. Just because you do things differently than I would doesn't mean you're wrong."

Liam took a deep breath and scribbled his answer to the final question. He was a little frustrated by Professor Lloyd's evasiveness, but he was confident in his own answer.

"Are we going to talk about these tomorrow?" asked Liam as he turned in his quiz and collected his things.

"Of course," said Professor Lloyd with a smile.

"Good," said Liam. "Well… see ya."

Professor Lloyd gave Liam a slight nod. As Liam stepped out into the hall, he nearly crashed into Orchid, who had apparently been waiting for him just outside the door.

"G-guess what?" she said in a frantic whisper.

"Professor Alexander forgot to assign homework again," said Liam with a grin.

"No," said Orchid. "Well, actually… y-yeah, he did, but it's n-not about that. Miss Snyder said…"

Orchid lowered her voice as they passed a group of upperclassmen.

"Miss Snyder said I can paint a mural over the T-team Power graffiti," said Orchid, sounding almost ecstatic. "She said as l-long as it's school related, and 'not too scary,' I can do whatever I w-want."

"Awesome," said Liam. "Have you decided what you're gonna do yet?"

Orchid shook her head.

"I'm s-still thinking about it."

"Well, I'll do my best not to contaminate the artistic process," said Liam as he put his Tactics book in his locker. "But if you want any help, or maybe just some company, let me know, okay?"

"Okay," said Orchid.

The excitement from the previous day had passed surprisingly quickly. Liam honestly hadn't thought much about it—there were too many other things on his mind. Winter Ball was getting closer, and so, by extension, were semester exams. Exams didn't worry Liam too much—he was good at test-taking, and he always had been. The business of the end of the semester was just getting to him. He was looking forward to another break.

A text message from Chez last night had confirmed what Liam already suspected: she was going with John Kim to the Winter Ball. Liam kept telling himself not to read too much into it—after all, his date certainly didn't have a crush on him. But it still bothered him. And worse still, his usual confidants were mostly unsympathetic.

"Didn't she literally ask you if you wanted her to ask you?" said Mori during Shrike's Unovan history class. "Anyways, I like Orchid better. I thought she'd be just your type. She looks super damaged. Don't suckers like you like damaged girls?"

Vasilio bit his knuckles to avoid laughing as Liam scowled.

"Look, Orchid is cute," said Liam. "And yes, she does clearly have deep-seated issues that would give you a run for your money."

Mori pretended to blush, as if Liam had just delivered a flattering compliment.

"But… I don't know. I like the nosy redhead more, okay?"

Mori rolled her eyes.

"I think my bad taste is starting to rub off on you," she muttered.

* * *

Orchid's first afternoon working on her mural wasn't very promising. She spent nearly two hours hunched over her sketchbook, getting frustrated, ripping out the page, and starting over from scratch, while Liam played with her Spinarak and Dartrix. It was a relaxing way to pass the time, apart from Orchid's periodic outbursts of violent frustration, and Liam did his best to imagine himself spending one-on-one time with Orchid on a more formal basis. Despite his best efforts, his mind always ended up wandering back to Chelsea.

"I g-give up," she said at last, snapping her sketchbook shut. "I'm gonna try again t-tomorrow."

Liam suspected that this was Orchid's usual artistic process—long periods of artist's block punctuated by occasional bursts of productivity. When she hesitantly asked if she could skip the next day's Team Virtue meeting, Liam gave his permission. He didn't want to make her any more frustrated than necessary.

* * *

"Ah, Liam," said Professor Huang, beckoning him over to her desk.

"Yes?" said Liam, wondering if he was somehow in trouble.

Pokemon Breeding and Care wasn't his best class, but he liked Professor Huang, and he liked the subject matter. He hoped he wasn't about to be scolded for his backlog of late homework.

"The Pokemon League Champion left this in my possession," said Professor Huang, holding out a Pokeball. "With your experience with Dark-type Pokemon, I thought I should pass it on to you."

Liam accepted the Pokeball with surprise.

"Uh, what is it?" he asked.

"A Bisharp," said Professor Huang. "And, there is something else you should know about it."

She lowered her voice and motioned for Liam to lean closer.

"It's Claire's Pokemon," whispered Professor Huang. "She left it behind at the Tubon Plateau. Silas told me to find a good trainer to raise it. I think you will take care of it."

"Thank you," said Liam, a little taken aback.

"Treat it well," said Professor Huang, smiling pleasantly. "Pokemon that are abandoned need kindness. Mori can help you."

Liam gave a slight bow and returned to his desk, cradling the Pokeball carefully in his hands. So, Claire had abandoned another Pokemon. He reminded himself that he shouldn't be surprised. After all, she had thrown away her Boufallant back in the spring. Still… it didn't feel right. Liam had never been able to reconcile the Claire that threw away Anastasia with the Claire he knew. Maybe his friends were right—maybe Claire was just an expert deceiver. Liam added the Pokeball to his belt and took out his class notebook. Claire's personality was a mystery he couldn't solve right now.


	52. Chapter 52

"I need to talk to you."

The Grandmaster glanced up from the piles of paperwork on his desk, but didn't say anything. Beside him, Zhang studiously ignored Claire as he passed the Grandmaster more forms to sign.

"I've heard all about it already," said the Grandmaster simply. "Well done."

Claire blinked. The Grandmaster pressed his chop onto a logistics plan and passed it back to Zhang, who received it with a bow.

"You took a risk and it paid off," the Grandmaster continued. "Team Power views success according to results, not methods. If you managed to rob the High Dzong without jeopardizing our future plans, what harm is that? Rasmus will be even more valuable now that—."

"Dad," interjected Claire. "Uh, Grandmaster, I also need to talk to you about Rasmus. He's…"

"A monster?" said the Grandmaster. "I'm well aware of that. Rasmus is a tool to be used. He is not as powerful as you think, or as he thinks. Leave Rasmus to me."

The Grandmaster rose and set a hand on Claire's shoulder. It was an astonishingly affectionate gesture—the closest he had come to showing real feeling since they had left Nanzo and set out to restore Team Power.

"Okay," said Claire. "I'll leave him to you."

The Grandmaster smiled.

"He's been teleporting our grunts into Nanzo," said the Grandmaster, returning to his ornate seat. "I suppose you've already worked that out. With his Pokemon, the process will be greatly accelerated. You've done Team Power, a great service, Admin Claire."

Claire flushed and gave an awkward bow.

"Thank you, Grandmaster."

"Keep training our forces," said the Grandmaster. "But remember the lesson you've learned today. Understood?"

Claire bowed again.

"Yes. Thank you."

The Grandmaster smiled again, giving his painted face an almost sinister aspect.

"You lost a Pokemon at the High Dzong," the Grandmaster added off-handedly. "You can take another one from the armory, or go catch one on your own. That is your assignment for the time being."

Claire bit her lip.

"Yes, sir," she said.

As she left the Grandmaster's office, Claire struggled to make sense of her conflicted feelings. She had won her father's approval for the first time in more than a year—proved herself to him in a way she hadn't been able to do in months of hunting down rogue gym leaders and training grunts. And she had Rasmus to thank for it. Still, she hated him. She hated him for leaving her Bisharp behind. It was like letting go of Anastasia all over again. She couldn't accept it.

She had to get him back.

* * *

Liam was surprised to see Orchid slip into the back of the tent during the Team Virtue meeting that afternoon. Either she had given up on overcoming artist's block that day, or she was lonely, or bored, or all three. Whatever the reason, Liam was secretly pleased to see her.

"So," Liam began. "Continuing with our study of the philosophy of Virtue, I thought it would be a good idea to start with a question: what's the difference between Team Virtue and the other teams? The good ones—not Team Power."

The younger students stared blankly back at Liam. His eyes darted from Jera to Aziz to Chelsea, hoping one of them would at least venture an answer. Finally, Aziz raised his hand.

"Team Balance thinks it's wrong to want to win, right?" Aziz mumbled.

"Yeah," said Liam. "Well, sort of. They think that if you want to win too much, it gets in the way of making good choices, and the more you want to win, the more likely you and your Pokemon are to suffer defeat. That's a good one, though Aziz," Liam added quickly.

There was another long, awkward silence. Liam was beginning to realize why Werner had clearly regarded him as the star pupil: at least he had been willing to open his mouth. Finally, Chez raised her hand.

"Team Truth thinks that you can win if you just learn to act naturally," she said. "Like, on intuition, I guess."

"Good," said Liam, trying not to show any special attention to Chez. "Yeah, Team Truth are really into acting naturally. They think if you can just align yourself with the mystery at the center of all existence, good choices will come automatically."

Liam smiled ironically.  
"And yeah, it sounds silly to me too."

The other initiates laughed, which made Liam feel better.

"Okay," Liam continued, "So, we know the differences, but what do we have in common with the other teams?"

Another long, awkward pause. Liam's eye flicked to Orchid, but she was staring very intently at her shoes. Chez raised her hand again.

"Go ahead," said Liam.

"Well, we all love Pokemon, right?" said Chelsea. "And everyone wants to be good at battling. And, well, we're all against Team Power."

Liam smiled with pride. If he had been Werner's star pupil, Chelsea was his.

"Exactly," said Liam. "And that's something we always need to remember. Even if we battle and train our Pokemon in different ways, all three teams share things that set us apart from Team Power."

Liam picked up the copy of _Social Crisis and Pokemon Philosophy in the Spring and Autumn Period_ that Professor Shrike had lent him and opened it to the page he had bookmarked. It was a painting from long after the fall of the School of Power depicting Grandmaster Kong, the Old Master, and the Enlightened One sitting together under a tree by a riverbank, each with a Pokemon at his side. Liam held up the book so the others could see.

"This is a painting from ancient Nanzo," Liam explained. "It's called _The Three Schools Are One_. It shows the three founders of the Schools of Battle sitting beside the Golden River, learning from each other. There was a time in Nanzo's history where many trainers believed the three schools made up a cohesive whole."

Liam noticed the blank stares he was getting at the word "cohesive."

"Meaning each school has something to teach us about battling, and we need all three if we want a complete picture. I'm not saying you have to believe that, but I want to give you guys an assignment this week: learn something from someone in another team, and then share what you learned with us. Okay?"

There were several reluctant nods. Out of the corner of his eye, Liam spotted Orchid slipping back out of the tent. He wasn't surprised. Social homework didn't really seem like her kind of thing.

"Okay," said Liam, rubbing his hands together in the way Professor Werner used to. "Now, let's do some battles. I wanna evolve this Houndour."


	53. Chapter 53

_Come to school early tomorrow._

Liam rubbed his eyes and checked the time on his PokeGear. It was 11:55, and he had been finishing some math homework he had left until the last minute. Getting texts from Orchid in the middle of the night wasn't unusual—she kept very irregular hours, even for a high schooler. Still, Liam wasn't keen on getting up early tomorrow. He wondered whether he could get away with ignoring the message.

"What do you think?" said Liam, looking up at Sneasel, who was perched on his top bunk as usual.

Sneasel ignored him, continuing to gaze out the window at the passing cars on the road outside the apartment complex. Between his knees, Liam felt Espeon purring.

"Yeah, I guess I should," said Liam with a groan. "Gotta look out for the freshmen after all."

He closed his math textbook and got up from his small desk. He could finish that homework during morning break. He nudged his Houndoom, which was curled up at the foot of his bed.

"You're too big for that," said Liam. "I need somewhere to put my legs."

Houndoom snarled and rolled over. From his bookshelf, Murkrow gave a caw that sounded oddly like a chuckle.

"You know, I could start being really strict with you all," said Liam with a yawn.

This time, Sneasel gave a dismissive snort.

"I'm glad you have faith in me," said Liam sarcastically.

* * *

Liam caught the very first bus from White Gardens and arrived at school around 6:30. After nearly falling asleep and missing his stop, Liam stopped at a convenience store to buy a bottle of Soda Pop. He found the main gate of the school unlocked and the gate guard's Mightyena lazing in the early morning sunlight.

"Took you l-long enough," said Orchid.

She was standing in front of a white tarp that covered the spot where the Team Power graffiti had been. Liam could tell from the way she was rocking from one foot to the other that she was about to reveal her masterpiece.

"I want you to t-tell me if it's okay," said Orchid.

Liam smiled. He knew Orchid didn't really want his opinion—she was confident in her own artistic abilities. This was just an honor she was granting him, as a friend. With an almost theatrical flourish, Orchid pulled down the tarp and revealed the new mural she had created.

Liam wasn't sure what he had expected, but it certainly hadn't been this. The left side of the mural was taken up by three fighter planes flying in formation, each with an Incineroar's jaws painted on its nose and a different-colored stripe on its wings: orange for Team Balance, blue for Team Truth, and green for Team Virtue. On the right was Professor Werner, his Skarmory perched dramatically on his shoulder. He was old and wrinkled, like the Professor Werner they had known, but Orchid has also given him an old-fashioned flight jacket.

After staring in silent amazement for a while, Liam noticed that there was writing in the lower left corner. "Flying Incineroars: The Three Teams Are One by Orchid Ng, November 2009." Liam felt a hint of pride that he had helped inspire this beautiful piece.

"It's incredible," said Liam. "Perfect, actually. Not your usual style, though."

"An artist needs to be v-versatile," countered Orchid, but she still took it as the compliment it was.

"So, it's ready for the public?" asked Liam.

Orchid shrugged.

"I guess."

* * *

"It's amazing!" squealed Chelsea, pulling her classmate into a very involuntary hug. "Orchid, it's so good. You're such a good artist."

Chelsea's feelings appeared to be representative. A few students thought the juxtaposition of Professor Werner with a squadron of fighters from the Second Pokemon War was a little odd, but most of them were pleased by the interlocking of Nanzo culture and history with the life of their former teacher. Chelsea wasn't the only student who forced an unwanted hug on Orchid, and Liam was surprised to see some older students wiping away tears and mumbling "thank you" as they let go of Orchid. Taylor was one of the few students who seemed to appreciate the mural as art, and he spent a long time admiring the details.

"So, Orchid," said Taylor. "Is this your entry for the talent show?"

Orchid shook her head.

"I'm painting his Houndoom," she said, pointing at Liam without looking at him.

"Sick," said Taylor with relish. "Aw man, I'll be psyched to see it. You gonna come to the talent show, Liam?"

Liam shrugged.

"It's at the youth group, right?"

"Well, yeah," said Taylor, brushing a long strand of black hair out of his face. "But Orchid doesn't come to youth group either, and she'll be there."

Orchid shrugged again.

"Arceus is a myth," she mumbled.

"Me and Marsha are dancing," said Chelsea, "Come on, bro. You're not gonna miss us making complete idiots of ourselves, right?"

Liam pretended to think about it. In reality, the prospect of seeing Chelsea dancing had settled the matter for him, but he didn't want her to know that.

"Okay, okay," said Liam. "Fine. It's on Thursday, right?"

"Yep," said Taylor. "Which means we have… three days to finally pick a song. This can only go so wrong."


	54. Chapter 54

"Have I mentioned recently how much I hate boys?" said Mori as Liam sat down on the beanbag next to her.

"Is that why you're sitting with us instead of Dustin?" asked Vasilio teasingly.

Mori rolled her eyes.

"He's not here," sad Mori. "And you have no idea how much convincing it took to get my dad to let me come. Anyways, I've got a pretty good idea of why Liam is here, and it proves what I said."

"Maybe I'm here to watch I Am Munchlax," suggested Liam.

Mori gave a dismissive sniff. Liam was a little offended—he really did like I Am Munchlax, and he was looking forward to seeing how their weeks of practice turned out.

"Wait, so if Dustin isn't here, and you're not performing, why are you here?" asked Liam.

Mori shrugged.

"Better than being at home."

Liam wasn't so sure. He had only visited the international youth group once before, and it had only confirmed his impression that being with this many students in this small of a space wasn't something that appealed to him. It met in a medium-sized apartment with most of its walls and furniture stripped out, apart from a small kitchenette. There were the expected worn-out sofas and squashy bean bags, of course, and a pool table that was so crooked that it could hardly allow for a fair game. Liam scanned the room for familiar faces, and found more than a few. Most of the raucous freshman class—Chelsea included—were piled onto a single, sagging sofa, with Robert holding court at the center of the group. Taylor and Arthur were tuning their guitars near the pool table.

"This was a bad idea," Liam muttered to his Sneasel, who was perched on his right shoulder.

Sneasel growled in agreement.

* * *

Liam was surprised how quickly he warmed to the talent show once it actually got started. The acts varied widely in content and quality, but each one either offered some new, unexpected insight about one of his schoolmates or confirmed something he had long suspected. Orchid, for instance, simply walked up onto the elevated alcove the youth group used as a stage, placed her painting of Liam's Houndoom on an easel, and sat back down, ignoring the applause and cheering that her (in Liam's opinion, exceptional) piece received from the audience. As usual, her pride in her own work kept her from appreciating the approval of the unwashed masses. I Am Munchlax, after taking almost ten minutes to set up, performed only one song—"Flavor of the Weak"—but the students (and the judges) loved it. Mori alone seemed unimpressed.

"Really?" she said to Vasilio after he finished putting away his electric bass.  
"It was Taylor's idea," said Vasilio sheepishly.

"Taylor's an idiot," said Mori, crossing her arms sullenly.

Dance seemed to be the most common talent on display. A trio of 8th grade girls from Ferrum gave a performance Liam thought was impressive, but a little raunchy for a school talent show. Chelsea and Marsha's routine, by contrast, was more amusing than sexy. They danced to a Ferrumian pop song, with Marsha following the actual routine while Chelsea reinterpreted it as ballet. Both girls clearly found dancing in front of so many people deeply embarrassing, and their performance was repeatedly interrupted by them breaking into fits of giggles, but the act was a hit with the crowd. It wasn't quite what Liam had expected, but Chelsea's alternately graceful and clumsy movements still left him entranced.

"Chez is a good dancer," observed Liam as the two girls took their embarrassed bows and almost ran off off-stage.

"You gonna leave now?" said Mori. "Since you've finished ogling the nosy freshman?"

Liam frowned at Mori. He almost felt like staying just to prove her wrong.

"What are you so peeved about, anyways?" he asked.

Mori sniffed.

"Everyone is being stupid," she said evasively.

"Well... sorry for whatever stupid thing I did," said Liam. "If that helps."

Mori shook her head.

"You are being stupid about the nosy redhead, but it's not you. It's not even just Vasilio and his stupid song."

"It wasn't my idea," said Vasilio.

"Well, you still went along with it," said Mori sharply. "And you and your girlfriend seemed like you were pretty into it. Anyways, I know what you think."

She stuck her tongue at Vasilio. Above her shoulder, Mori's Misdreavus did the same.

"I really am sorry," said Vasilio, lowering his voice in earnest. "It was mean. I should've tried to talk him out of it."

Mori flushed. She clearly hadn't expected conciliation from Vasilio.

"Whatever," said Mori carefully avoiding Vasilio's gaze. "I already know what you really think."

Missy stuck her tongue out at Vasilio again, earning a swat from Mori.

"We were already rude," she scolded. "We're doing the silent treatment now, you idiot."

Liam and Vasilio did their best to conceal their smiles.

* * *

Several students incorporated Pokemon into their acts. Liz and her Heracross demonstrated an impressive juggling routine that ultimately won them third place. John Kim and his Whimisicott took first place with a contemporary dance set to a Coldplay song that bored Liam, but earned rapturous applause and even a few tears from his fellow freshmen. Although Stephanie didn't place, her almost zen-like demonstration of herbal medicine on her Lucario was a highlight of the evening. Even on stage, Liam observed, Stephanie's bedside manner was impeccable.

I Am Munchlax ultimately took second place, which seemed to please everyone other than Mori.

"Man, it's a good thing we got something out of this," said Arthur wearily. "I gave up a lot of studying to—."

"You mean you gave up a lot of Halo," interrupted Liz. "Come on, Arthur, you're never gonna convince us you're a good student when we know you're not."

"Guys, come on, I can show you my class schedule. I'm really taking a lot of APs."

"In my brother's defense, he is taking a lot of hard classes," said Sylvia. "However... Yeah, he does spend most of his time playing video games."

"I need new friends," said Arthur. "You guys wanna go blow our prize on shaokao?"

"See, there's the Arthur we know and love," said Liz, kissing him on the cheek.

* * *

"So, what did you think, bro?" said Chelsea as she took the seat next to Liam at one of the low, rickety tabes outside the shaokao place.

"Very entertaining," said Liam. "And I didn't know you did ballet."

"Six years," said Chelsea proudly. "But my old teacher moved back to Kalos, so our dance class broke up."

"Who else was in it?" asked Liam, offering a chunk of well-seasoned meat to his Houndoom, which devoured it eagerly.

"Mostly people you don't know," said Chelsea. "Claire was—she's not very flexible, though. She always had a hard time. Oh, and Mori was part of the class for a little while. She quit after a few months, though. I think she got a private teacher after that."

"Really?" said Liam. "Chez, how is it that you know everybody's secrets? I had no idea Mori did ballet."

Chelsea took a huge bite of meat and shrugged.

"Just nosy, I guess," she said.

Liam looked at Vasilio, who was sitting opposite him at the square table.

"Did you know Mori did ballet?"

"Yeah," said Vasilio. "Mori's parents make her do a lot of stuff. They're very… demanding."

"I feel so bad for that girl," chimed in Rebecca. "She's under so much pressure to be perfect."

Liam took a bite of his grilled leeks. He knew Mori wouldn't think much of the sympathy of someone like Rebecca, and he privately agreed.

"She can manage," said Vasilio. "Anyways, I think she likes ballet and piano and all that other stuff because it gets her out of the house—away from her parents."

"Yeah, that sounds like Mori," said Liam. deciding to change the subject before Rebecca had another chance to pity their friend. "Okay, so I can't be the only one who thinks Orchid or Stephanie should have placed instead of John Kim, right?"

Chelsea frowned.

"Did you not like his dance?" she asked. "He's so good! He's been dancing his whole life, and his Whimsicott—."

"It was boring," said Liam flatly. "I'd rather see a Heracross juggle than watch someone dance to a sappy Coldplay song any day."

Vasilio kicked Liam under the table, presumably to indicate that dragging Chelsea's Winter Ball date through the mud wasn't the wisest thing to do.

"Well, bro, maybe you should come up with something better next year," said Chelsea. "Then you won't have to complain."

"Rambling about the Spring and Autumn Period isn't a talent, unfortunately," said Vasilio with a smirk.

Chelsea snorted, while Liam felt his face going red.

"I have… other talents," said Liam sullenly.

"Drooling over girls also doesn't count," said Rebecca.

"You sound like Mori," said Liam, feeling a little peeved at Vasilio for the picture of his personal life that his friend had fed to Rebecca.

"Oh, I don't know," said Chelsea with a mischievous grin. "Maybe Liam has absolutely perfect taste in girls. That could be a talent."

Vasilio and Rebecca both chortled, but Liam took it as a challenge.

"Cass McCloud was the most perfect girl in Everspring International Pokemon Academy," he said. "So, yes Chez, my taste is perfect."

"Oh my gosh, he does still miss her," said Rebecca with a squeal. "That's so adorable."

Chelsea seemed a little embarrassed that Liam had run with her joke, but she quickly recovered.

"Okay, bro," she said, adopting the same teasing tone. "If Cass was the most perfect girl last year, who's the most perfect girl now?"

This felt like a trick. It was almost like she was daring him to say "you," and that made Liam feel like it was the wrong answer.

"If I tell you now, I won't have anything left for the talent show next year," said Liam, flicking Chelsea on the shoulder.

She seemed to like the answer.

* * *

"Wait, there's school tomorrow, right?" said Arthur abruptly.

There was a collective groan. It was nearly 10:45, and Everspring City was growing dark and quiet. The flickering streetlight above them cast a warm, yellow-orange light on the sidewalk where the shaokao guy and his Magmar were still roasting new skewers of meat and vegetables. Were this a Friday, as they all seemed to have convinced themselves it was, the night would have been just beginning. But there were assignments to turn in and quizzes to take, and Liam suddenly felt very, very tired.

"I'm gonna walk Rebecca home," said Vasilio. "See ya."

"Make sure she actually makes it," said Liam, flicking him on the shoulder.

Liam began collecting his Pokemon. Espeon was snoozing with its head in Chelsea's lap, while Houndoom was curled up under the table gnawing on gristle. Murkrow was whirling overhead, chasing passing swarms of Zubat.

"Get down here," said Liam, recalling it to its Pokeball. "Stop terrorizing the wildlife."

Chelsea gave a loud yawn.

"I don't think I can make it," she said. "Me and Espie will sleep here."

"Espeon is coming home with me," said Liam. "And your house is like five minutes away. You can make it."

He offered her his hand and lifted her to her feet.

"Fine," she groaned. "But walk me home at least, bro. Gotta take care of the freshmen, right? Professor Werner would be mad if I fell asleep in a ditch or something."

"Or in the fountain?"

Liam wondered immediately if he should have kept his mouth shut. Neither of them had mentioned the weird sleepwalking episode since that night.

"Yeah," said Chelsea. "Sleeping outside sucks."

"Has it happened again?" asked Liam as they set out back in the direction of New Court.

"Once or twice," said Chelsea.

They walked for a while in silence.

"There was something else," said Chelsea quietly. "I found this in my locker at the end of the day."

She handed Liam a small, folded paper. He knew instantly what it was.

_RASMUS ACTED ON HIS OWN. I FOUND OUT TOO LATE. SORRY._

"Well, that explains some of it," said Liam. "Although it leaves us with just as much a mystery as before."

"Well, we know it can't be Claire," said Chelsea. "If she was there with him, she would have known ahead of time."

"How did you know she was there?" said Liam.

Chelsea glanced down at the last Pokeball on his belt.

"That's her Bisharp, right?"

"Yeah," said Liam. "She left it behind."

Chelsea brooded for a moment.

"That's not… like her. It must have happened by accident."

Liam coughed uncomfortably.

"You know about Anastasia, right?"

"Yeah," said Chelsea. "But didn't she do that to… prove something? And you told me she ran away when she saw her at the Orphanage, right?"

Liam didn't recall telling Chelsea about what happened that night, but he decided not to bring it up.

"I wouldn't put anything past her, to be honest," said Liam. "I'm pretty sure she came to Hempshear just so she and Rasmus could break into the Tubon Plateau. Everything is some kind of game to her."

Chelsea shook her head.

"She's just afraid, bro."

"Not to be rude, but you haven't talked to her all that recently," said Liam impatiently. "Anyways, if you knew all the stuff she did to Mori, you would—."

_KZZZT._

There was a blinding flash accompanied by loud, high-pitched buzzing. Liam was sent sprawling to the ground, his hands and feet numb and tingling. Sneasel, who had been perched on his shoulder, went tumbling onto the pavement. Chelsea was thrown in the opposite direction. Just a few meters away, Liam heard the clop of roofs and the tramp of booted feet. As he tried to crawl to his feet, Chelsea gave a sudden cry. She was being jerked to her feet by someone—pulled out of Liam's reach by a blonde girl in a white and gold uniform.

Liam didn't have to guess who it was.


	55. Chapter 55

Claire had Chelsea in a headlock. Her Zebstrika was watching Liam closely, electricity crackling from its mane. Liam felt himself trembling with anger as he scrambled to his feet to face down the Team Power Admin.

"You've got something that belongs to me," said Claire, her voice threatening and icy. "Give it back."

"What do you mean?" said Liam defiantly.

"My Bisharp, you idiot," said Claire through gritted teeth. "I want it back. Now."

"Or what?" said Liam.

It was a hollow retort, and Claire knew it. The cold blue eyes in her painted flace flickered.

"Or you can bury the student next to the mentor," said Claire.

Liam shot a glance at his Sneasel, and their eyes met. Liam remembered something Cass had once said, about understanding exactly what a Pokemon was thinking even without words. "Let me do it. I'm fast enough. I'll go straight for her neck. She won't stand a chance." Liam took a deep breath. Chez was in danger. No one could argue that Claire would deserve it. He didn't have a choice.

"No!" shouted Chelsea suddenly. "Liam, don't hurt her!"

The chance had passed. Claire's eyes darted from Liam to Sneasel to her Zebstrika, and she took a step back. Sneasel growled, but it didn't dare take another step forward.

"You know, it's funny," said Liam. "I really believed you when you said you regretted what happened to Chez's Scraggy. I guess that was a lie, just like everything else."

"You don't understand," said Claire, baring her teeth. "But that's just what I would expect. Now give back my Bisharp."

Liam rolled his eyes.

"I'll give you your Bisharp," he said, carefully enunciating each word. "But I want you to know the price."

Claire's eyes narrowed.

"What price?" she snarled, taking another step back with Chelsea.

"The price is losing a friend," said Liam simply.

Claire blinked. For a moment, she seemed to hesitate. Her grip around Chelsea's neck loosened.

"Don't make me choose," she said.

Her voice was different now. It was the voice Liam recognized from the cave. She was pleading with him.

"Let Chez go," said Liam, trying to keep his voice calm. "You should be able to trust a friend without threatening him. Don't you trust me?"

Claire thought for a moment. For a few fleeting seconds, Liam wondered if she was about to cave—about to let Chez go and talk to them likes friends. But then—

"Claire, please," said Chelsea abruptly. "We don't want to—."

"Roll me the Pokeball," said Claire.

Her face was hard again. Her grip around Chelsea's neck tightened. Liam took the last Pokeball off his belt and did his best to roll it to Claire across the uneven pavement.

"Now let Chez go," said Liam.

Claire shoved Chelsea forward, scooped up the Pokeball, and added it to her own belt. Liam rushed forward and caught Chelsea before she landed on the asphalt road.

"Good," said Claire. "Now, I think that's all we—."

"Shut your mouth," said Liam, "and get out of here, because I'm pretty sure I could take you and I'm in no mood to show mercy. I know who you really are now. I bet you and that sicko Rasmus make a great team."

"Shut up!" spat Claire. "You think that just because I—."

"Sneasel, Ice Punch!" shouted Liam.

His Pokemon sprang forward, but it was already too late. Claire mounted her Zebstrika in a single, graceful motion and galloped off into the darkness, leaving Liam, Chelsea, and Sneasel alone on the deserted street.

"I'll kill her," said Liam. "The next time I see her, I swear I'll—."

"Stop!" said Chelsea. "Liam, don't. She's… she's just afraid. She doesn't know how to—."

"Are you serious?" shouted Liam. "She threatens to kill you, and you want me to feel sorry for—."

"She wouldn't have done it," Chelsea insisted. "I know she wouldn't. She's just afraid. She didn't want to lose a Pokemon again, so she—."

"Lost a friend instead," said Liam.

"She wouldn't have done it," repeated Chelsea in a small voice.

"Yeah, well sorry for not gambling your life on that," said Liam sharply.

They stared at each other in silence.

"Sorry," said Chelsea at last. "I… understand. You were afraid too."

She let out a long sigh.

"Guess I'll have to tell Miss Snyder about this tomorrow."

"Yeah."

"You and Sneasel gonna finish walking me home?"

Liam cracked a smile.

"Of course."


	56. Chapter 56

"So you believe me now?" said Mori.

"Yes, you were right, just like always, now can we drop it?"

"No, I like gloating," said Mori brightly. "Especially about that stuck-up bitch. Tell me again about how surprised you were when she threatened to kill your nosy freshman—that was my favorite part."

"Oh, ease off, Mori," said Vasilio, who was feeding his Amaura a handful of Kelpsy berries. "He's learned his lesson. Also, I think you've brushed Anastasia enough. That's not the only thing we're getting graded on."

Mori puffed up her cheeks, then scowled. With December just around the corner, the pressure was on in every class. Their final project in Professor Huang's Pokemon Breeding and Care was to present a Pokemon in near-perfect condition, and Mori had done almost nothing to improve her Bouffalant's EVs. Liam had chosen his Espeon, who was relishing the attention.

"Are you gonna finally evolve your Amaura?" Liam asked his friend. "It's got to be ready, right?"

Vasilio looked a little embarrassed.

"I dunno," he said evasively.

Mori snorted.

"He likes to cuddle with his little dinosaur," she explained. "And Aurorus won't fit in his bed."

Vasilio's pale face went slightly red, but Liam noticed a dangerous glint in his eyes.

"Bold words from a girl that sleeps with a stuffed Gengar and wears—" began Vasilio, but Mori put him in a headlock before he could finish.

* * *

"My driver will p-pick you up outside White Gardens," said Orchid as she transferred her unwanted vegetables to Liam's bowl.

"You're sure you don't want me to pick you up at home?"

Orchid shook her head vigorously.

"L-last thing I want is f-for my mom to get her h-hands on you," said Orchid darkly. "I'm d-doing you a favor. Trust me."

"Okay," said Liam, taking a sip of his cold tea. "Which Pokemon are you bringing?"

"Dartrix," said Orchid. "He… m-matches."

"I don't have any green Pokemon," said Liam. "Except for Nuzleaf, I guess. I'd rather bring Sneasel, though, if that's okay with you."

"Sneasel is… cool," said Orchid. "It's f-fine."

* * *

The large and fancy van that met Liam at the gate of White Gardens confirmed what he had long suspected—Orchid was rich. Unlike the "bread loaf" vans that were so common in Nanzo, Orchid's van was air-conditioned, with black leather seats and an expensive speaker system playing what sounded like Nanzonese soft pop.

"Sorry," whispered Orchid as Liam climbed into the seat next to her. "My driver gets to p-pick the music."

"It's fine," said Liam. "You look great, by the way."

Liam meant it. Orchid had added a slight wave to black hair and dark, cat-like mascara around her eyes. It was an unambitious look in some ways, but it was probably the most thought Orchid had put into her appearance all year, and Liam appreciated it.

"Not too m-much like Boxxy?"

Liam laughed.

"No," he said, "Cute, but not obnoxious."

"G-good," said Orchid. "Hey, Mr. Gao, we can go."

Her driver gave her a thumbs up and they were off. For the first few minutes, there was an awkward silence, broken only by Mr. Gao humming along to the sentimental Nanzonese ballad that was playing on the radio. Liam wasn't exactly sure what he was supposed to do with a date on the way to Winter Ball. He had been a third wheel at Spring Banquet, but at least there were plenty of people to talk to. Was he supposed to keep complimenting Orchid, or make small talk, or ask her about school? She certainly wasn't going to take the lead in the conversation. To pass off the awkwardness, Liam turned his attention to Orchid's Dartrix.

"He's pretty fancy," said Liam, ruffling the owl Pokemon's soft feathers. "Should I have got Sneasel a—?"

"S—t!" shouted the driver in a heavy Everspring accent. "G—d—n it. Stay in your lane, a—h—e!"

The van rapidly changed lanes, smushing Liam and Orchid (and their Pokemon) against the van's left door. To Liam's surprise, Orchid giggled.

"Mr. Gao is a g-good driver," she whispered. "But he gets angry… s-sometimes."

"Sometimes" turned out to be an almost comical understatement. Mr. Gao swore like a sailor at even the slightest provocation, and seemed to hold all the other cars on the road to a very different standard than himself. Yet the moment his outburst subsided, Mr. Gao returned to humming and singing along with the soft pop on the radio like nothing had happened. It was such a hilarious juxtaposition that Liam and Orchid spent most of the ride trying desperately to hold in their laughter.

* * *

The student council had blown most of their profits from the fall semester on renting out a ballroom in a fancy hotel downtown. Even arriving in a swanky van, Liam and Orchid would have felt too awkward to see themselves into the hotel if Sylvia and Ruth hadn't been waiting to welcome the Everspring students out front.

"Liam, Orchid," said Sylvia, handing each of them a program for the evening. "The ballroom is to the left and down the hall from the lobby."

"Thanks, Sylv," said Liam,

Her instructions, unsurprisingly, were perfect, and Liam and his date quickly found themselves in a medium-sized ballroom decorated with paper snowflakes, small Christmas trees, sparkling tinsel, and even some genuine ice—the work of several Vanilite that were floating around the room. There were also Delibird handing out appetizers and Snover making real snowflakes fall on the guests with Snow Warning. Liam immediately took off her jacket and offered it to Orchid, who wrapped it around her shoulders with a small blush.

"Let's find our seats," said Liam. "Hopefully somewhere we're not being snowed on."

Liam and Orchid found their name cards at a corner table with Vasilio, Rebecca, Stephanie, and Marielle, Stephanie's younger sister. Both girls had opted not to invite a date, which didn't surprise Liam. Despite being some of the prettiest girls in school, the Thibault sisters never showed any signs of being interested in guys. They were too busy earning straight As.

The food turned out to be just as good as Liam had hoped. Orchid didn't eat much, but she also didn't judge Liam for how much he ate, and he appreciated her for it. Orchid had made it very clear that she wasn't interested in dancing, and Liam didn't feel like pressing the issue—until Taylor, who was DJing the event, blasted the familiar synth line that opened Noctowl City's "Fireflies" from his Exploud's mouth.

"Just once," said Liam, pulling Orchid to her feet. "It's a great song. I promise."

Dancing with Orchid was awkward—Liam could never quite figure out where to put his hands, and they quickly discovered that moving their feet in rhythm wasn't a strong suit for either. Still, it was an enjoyable three minutes. Only when the song ended did Liam realize that, had things been just a little different, he would have been dancing with Cass.

"Thanks," said Orchid as they sat back down. "That w-was fun."

Given her evident disinterest in dancing and eating, Liam had initially wondered why Orchid had even bothered to come to Winter Ball at all. After their dance, however, Orchid quickly revealed her chosen means of passing the evening: muttering cutting, sarcastic commentary on the other students in Liam's ear. That Orchid disliked most of the students and staff at Everspring wasn't new to Liam, and he had long learned to regard her vindictive remarks as more amusing than shocking. He smiled to himself as Orchid criticised the other girls' dresses, the quality of the decorations, the font used on the evening program—nothing escaped her censure other than the choice of music, and that was only because Taylor was behind it. Out of everyone, Rosaline came in for the most savage remarks. She was "not really that pretty," "not good enough for Taylor," "not as quirky as she tried to be," and, most damningly, "an aesthetic disaster." None of this was fair, of course. Rosaline, so far as Liam could tell, was pretty (if always a little disheveled), unaffectedly quirky, and genuinely interested in Taylor—but Liam also knew Orchid well enough to take her comments for what they really were: the frustrated expression of an obsessive, unrequited infatuation.

* * *

Orchid's driver dropped Liam off at the gate of the White Gardens complex. It had been an enjoyable evening for him and his date, and Orchid even ventured a friendly kiss on a cheek before retreating back to the safety of her van like a frightened Wimpod. Sneasel perched on his shoulder, Liam walked a couple laps around the neighborhood park before returning home. He was in that state of contented ecstasy that only a school dance could produce. He reflected on just how much he liked Everspring, and the school, and his friends. He remembered just how much he missed Cass McCleod.

He didn't notice the shadow of wings passing overhead, or the approach of the blonde-haired girl until they were almost face-to-face.


	57. Chapter 57

"No," said Liam. "You're out of chances. Get out of here before I make you get out."

The Sneasel on Liam's shoulder bared its teeth and snarled. Claire took a step forward into the light of a nearby lamp. She wasn't wearing her Team Power uniform—she had hoped that would make her seem more like a friend.

"Please," said Claire. "Just… just let explain—."

"I already know what 'explaining,' means for you," said Liam. "Lies and excuses. Now leave."

Claire took a deep breath. This was the reception she had expected, and she resolved to persist.

"I've never lied to you," said Claire. "Please. You have to—."

"I really don't," said Liam, his face still hard. "I don't have to believe anything you say. You've threatened me, you've threatened my friends, you've used me just so—."

"I didn't—."

"Why did you come to Hempshear Town if not to pump me for information?" said Liam coldly. "I know everyone thinks I'm a sucker, but I can put things together. Go ahead, tell me you weren't using me just to get information."

Claire chewed her tongue. He wasn't going to let her off easy.

"Fine," she said. "Rasmus sent me to Hempshear Town because he wanted to know how to get Silas away from the Tubon Plateau. And just so you know, he'll find out about everything I tell you. He's… creepy like that."

"So you did use me."

Claire felt the sting in his voice.

"I didn't… really have a choice," said Claire. "If you met him, you'd understand."

Liam seemed to be letting his guard down. He looked around, as if to make sure no one was watching him talk to her.

"And what about two weeks ago?" said Liam, lowering his voice. "I suppose Rasmus told you—."

Claire shook her head.

"All me," she said.

"Okay," said Liam. "So let's go back to how you're going to leave before I have Sneasel slash your face open."

Claire gave a weak laugh. She didn't know Liam that well, but she knew false bravado when she saw it.

"You wouldn't," she said. "He would," she added, jerking her head at Liam's Sneasel. "But you… you're not like that."

"Wanna try me?"

Claire sighed. She didn't like to admit it, even to herself, but Liam's cold reception was getting to her.

"I came to say I was sorry, okay? I—."

Claire paused. Liam had thrown up his hands and rolled his eyes.

"I mean it," she insisted.

"No you don't," said Liam. "You're playing some kind of game. I don't believe you're capable of making an apology without some kind of stupid excuses pinned on."

Claire tried not to show him how much his words hurt.

"No excuses," she said. "No… nothing. I was just wrong, okay? Isn't that enough?"

"No," said Liam. "Because I know you'll go right back to lying and making threats as soon as telling the truth and being a friend gets hard. That's how you work. That's who you are. I'm not falling for this again"

"N-no!" said Claire. "I.. I'm not…"

She was losing control. She dug her fingernails into her palms, trying desperately to hold back the tears. She wasn't weak. She wasn't going to cry. He would laugh at her. She… was crying. She was sobbing like a pathetic little girl. She returned away from him and tried to wipe away the tears on her sleeve, but it was no use. He hated her. Everyone hated her. And she probably deserved it.

* * *

Liam could almost hear Mori and Chelsea, like rival councillors on either shoulder, each pleading their case.

"She's a lying bitch," said his imaginary Mori. "She doesn't deserve sympathy. Feel sorry for her, and she'll hurt you. She'll hurt me, and it'll be your fault."

"She's afraid, bro," countered Chelsea. "She's confused and she doesn't know what to do. She just wants a friend. It's not wrong to be a friend."

Liam sighed. Mori's advice felt right. Claire wasn't some innocent victim—she was someone who hurt other people to make herself feel better. If she was crying, it was only because she felt sorry for herself. He remembered how guilty he had felt explaining his last meeting with Claire to his classmates. He didn't want to go through that again.

"This is her only chance," pleaded the Chelsea in his head. "You're the only one who can—."

Liam shook himself. Claire was still sobbing, covering her face and looking away from him. Standing by herself in the poorly-lit park, she looked very, very alone. He noticed how beautiful her blonde curls looked in the moonlight.

"Just leave," said Mori's voice. "Don't even think about—."

But Liam had taken a step towards her. He felt a twinge of guilt as he touched her lightly on the shoulder. She jumped a little, and whirled around to face him.

"This isn't for you," said Liam. "But Chez believes in you for some reason. And… I believe in her."

* * *

"Stop crying," Claire told herself. "You're so pathetic. He thinks you're pathetic. You're accepting sympathy from some kind of… freak."

But she couldn't stop. And she didn't want to let go of her only friend. She pressed her face against his collared shirt and sobbed, and savored the feeling of his arms around her. It was an awkward hug, but it was the first one she had had in months. Maybe even years.

"I'm… sorry," she said as he finally let go. "I… I don't know why I—."

"I was mean," said Liam. "Not that you didn't deserve it, but… still."

Claire wiped her eyes on her sleeve. Touching her lightly by the elbow, Liam guided Claire to a nearby park bench, and they sat down together.

"Can you explain something to me?" said Liam.

"Maybe," said Claire. "You usually don't like my explanations."

Their eyes met, and they both smiled before quickly glancing away.

"Why did you throw your Bisharp away?" said Liam seriously. "And why did you change your mind after—?"

"I didn't," Claire interjected. "I didn't throw him away. I left him behind by accident. Rasmus teleported us away before… what makes you think I would have left him before?"

Liam raised his eyebrows, as if to say the answer was obvious.

"Is it Anastasia?" asked Claire. "Look, that was… different. She was… I needed to grow up, and…"

She realized she didn't really believe what she was saying. A swarm of Zubat flittered overhead, making Claire jump.

"I guess I just can't imagine doing that," said Liam.

"I'm not some kind of monster," Claire insisted. "And anyways, why didn't you give Bisharp back right away? How can you judge me when you were the one with a stolen Poke—?"

"Abandoned is not the same as stolen!"

"I don't just abandon Pokemon left and right! And if that's what you think of me, maybe I should…"

"What?"

Claire shook her head.

"Nothing," she said. "I'm being a good friend now."

Liam flicked her on the shoulder.

"What was that?" said Claire, rubbing her shoulder.

"Just something I do to my friends," said Liam with a grin.

Claire wanted to be annoyed with him, but she couldn't.

* * *

"Hey, so, I need to get home," said Liam, getting to his feet and lifting his Sneasel back onto his shoulder.

He was surprised to see the disappointment on Claire's face.

"Can we… Not that I care, but—?"

"Don't you?" said Liam with a wink.

"Shut up," said Claire. "I just want to have someone to talk to every now and then. And don't get all smug about this. I don't have a lot of choices."

Liam thought about it for a moment.

"There's one condition," said Liam. "If you hurt any of my friends—my other friends—this is over. I forgive you for hurting Chez, but that's only because I know she does too. But if you ever do anything like that again, this is over. For good."

Claire let out an exasperated sigh.

"Fine," she said. "There are certain things I have to do, though. For Team Power. I'll do my best not to—."

"This isn't negotiable," said Liam, trying to sound stern.

"I can't make any promises," Claire retorted, her voice becoming shrill. "So if that's the only way that we can be friends, I…"

She looked away from him.

"Claire, I'm just spelling out what being a friend normally means," said Liam. "This isn't some special test I made up just so you can fail it."

Claire blinked furiously. Liam wondered if she was about to cry again.

"Okay," she said at last. "I'll do my best. That usually isn't good enough for anyone, but I'll try."

"Another thing," said Liam. "You can come and talk to me, any time for any reason. But we both have to be completely honest. No lies. No threats. Just friends."

Claire squirmed a little.

"Does 'I can't tell you that' count as being honest? Because Rasmus will know everything I tell you."

"Does he know you're here now?" asked Liam.

He felt suddenly afraid, and it must have shown on his face.

"He will," said Claire. "He… ugh, the way he crawls around in your head is just…"

She shuddered. Liam wondered whether it was a ploy for sympathy, then scolded himself for not thinking like a friend.

"I'm just saying that there are things I can't say," said Claire seriously. "Because he'll know. And also…"

"Also?"

Claire met Liam's eyes.

"I'm not going to betray Team Power. I can't tell you anything about our plans. Okay?"

Liam gave a very reluctant nod. He felt Sneasel shift on his shoulder, as if to silently express his disapproval, but he ignored him.

"Good," said Claire with evident relief. "I… need this. And I'm sorry I came so close to ruining it."

They were both silent for a moment.

"I really need to get home," said Liam. "My parents will think I'm making out with Orchid or something."

Claire snickered.

"Okay," said Liam. "Goodnight."

He turned to leave, but Claire caught him by the sleeve again.

"Uh… can I…"

Liam was looking at her curiously.

"One more hug," said Claire, blurting out the request in the way that made it sound like an order. "Please?" she added quickly.

"Any time," said Liam.


	58. Chapter 58

"Crap," said Mori as they left their exam in Professor Huang's class. "This is gonna murder my grade."

"Professor Huang's an easy grader," said Sylvia reassuringly. "And you did fine, Mori. Anastasia looked great."

"Yeah, well I just hope Huang doesn't curve our grades," said Liam. "Because I think Stephanie ruined it for all of us."

Stephanie gave Liam a gracious smile.

"I think Ruth's Blaziken was in even better condition," she said with her usual clinical keenness. "Ruth, what were you feeding him? His feathers are so—."

"Speaking of feeding," said Jonah. "Anyone wanna go to Spinny Tables?"

"Ooh, count me in," said Sylvia as Ruth gave an approving squeal.

"Me too," said Vasilio. "Liam, Mori?"

"Dustin," said Mori simply. "And I think you're about to lose Liam too."

She jerked her head towards Chelsea, who was walking towards them from the opposite direction and obviously looking for Liam.

"Yep, we're losing Liam for sure," said Sylvia with a roguish wink.

Liam rolled his eyes. He didn't want to encourage Sylvia's insinuations.

"Hey, bro," said Chelsea, approaching Liam almost timidly. "Can I, uh, talk to you for a sec?"

"I'll catch up with you guys," said Liam.

"Mmhmm," said Sylvia. "You better be quick. Ruth isn't gonna wait for you."

Chelsea waited until Liam's classmates had disappeared down the main stairs.

"I have a favor to ask," she whispered.

"Sure," said Liam, trying to sound casual and confident. "Anything."

Chelsea looked visibly relieved.

"Okay, so I must have blown the Tactics exam really bad, because Professor Lloyd asked me to talk to him after school, and told me to bring a friend. Marsha is busy with SGA stuff, so…"

"Right after school?"

Chelsea nodded.

"Okay," said Liam. "I'll be there."

"Thanks," said Chelsea. "I promised I'd go to lunch with Marsha, so…"

"See you after school, Chez."

Chelsea grinned and almost skipped away. After pondering the strange summons for a moment, Liam remembered Sylvia's threat and bolted down the main stairs. He wasn't going to let Ruth eat everything without him.

* * *

Liam found Chelsea pacing nervously just outside Professor Lloyd's classroom.

"Oh good, you're here," she said. "I hope he doesn't yell at me. Do you think he'd yell? I really don't think I did that badly, but—."

Liam hadn't seen Chelsea this agitated since the incident with Mori.

"Chez, he's not gonna yell at you," said Liam. "Now come on, let's find out what this is about."

Chelsea hesitated, bit her lip, then finally followed Liam into the Tactics classroom. Professor Lloyd was at his desk, writing feedback on some older student's exams.

"I had a theory I would be seeing you," said Professor Lloyd to Liam. "I'm glad Chelsea has a mentor. Please take a seat."

He gestured to the student desk nearest his. Liam and Chelsea shared a nervous glance, then sat down beside each other.

"Your essay on _The Art of Battle_ was excellent, by the way," said Professor Lloyd as he set down his grading pen. "I would even hazard to guess that you were the only one who actually read it cover-to-cover."

Liam tried not to look too pleased by the praise. Professor Lloyd got up and leaned casually against his desk, studying each of the students' faces in turn.

"Now," he said. "Chelsea, I—."

"Professor Lloyd, what did I do wrong?" exclaimed Chelsea. "I promise I studied really hard. Liam helped me with—."

"Oh, it's not about that," said Professor Lloyd. "Not at all. I'm sorry if I gave that impression. I didn't want to say too much around your classmates. It's just that I have a strong hunch, and I want to confirm it."

Liam looked at the professor curiously. He knew Professor Lloyd's approach was sometimes "outside the box," but he wasn't even sure which box they were outside of now.

"Let's get started."

Professor Lloyd set a spoon on the table in front of Chelsea. They both looked at it in confusion.

"Try it," said Professor Lloyd, encouragingly.

"Try… try what?" asked Chelsea.

"Pick it up," said Professor Lloyd.

Glancing uncomfortably at Liam, Chelsea picked up the spoon and held it out at arms length.

"Okay," said Professor Lloyd, "Now, focus on the spoon. Clear everything from your thoughts but the spoon. Focus your mind on its shape—the space it takes up. Stretch your thoughts out towards it. Feel it. Sense it."

Liam watched in astonishment as Chelsea stared intently at the spoon. He had no idea what Professor Lloyd was trying to prove, and he was beginning to suspect that this was some kind of odd prank. Chelsea, however, was taking it very seriously. He could see beads of sweat forming on her freckled forehead. Her hands were trembling.

"Professor, what is she—?"

The end of the spoon bent. It was the slightest of changes, but Liam and Chelsea saw it as clearly as if the spoon had burst into flames. Chelsea dropped the spoon and leapt to her feet, knocking over the chair in the process.

"Oh my gosh!" she shouted. "What—what?"

Liam started to feel strangely lightheaded. The whole room seemed to be shifting and swimming before him. He reached for the desk to steady himself, but it seemed to bend beneath his hands like rubber. He could hear Professor Lloyd's voice saying… something. The spoon on the desk was convulsing. Liam watched as it twisted and writhed like a worm. Or, perhaps Chelsea was watching? The line between his mind and hers seemed strangely blurred. He felt her thoughts drifting through his, He felt a sudden rush of fear. A voice was shouted at them—Mori's voice, or Professor Lloyd's voice, or Jiu's voice—or all three at once? Everything around them was vibrating. Liam felt a hand grasp him by the wrist.

Only it wasn't his wrist. It was Chelsea's wrist, and Professor Lloyd was speaking calmly to her.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, that was probably a very hard way to find out. But at least we know for sure."

"Know what?" asked Liam.

Professor Lloyd and Chelsea both looked over at him. Liam suddenly realized he was on the ground and scrambled to his feet.

"Let's talk about this over some tea," said Professor Lloyd. "That seems appropriate."

* * *

Chelsea and Liam sat silently next to each other as Professor Lloyd's Polteageist poured them each a cup of steaming purple liquid. Liam wasn't sure what to say. The sensation of experiencing someone else's thoughts and drifting in and out of their mind—or between their minds? He couldn't explain it, and he certainly didn't feel like talking about it with the person whose consciousness he had just tumbled with. Liam picked up the cup and smelled it.

"Black tea," said Professor Lloyd, "Not what you're used to here, I know, but still quite good. Now."

He leaned over the table pleasantly.

"Chelsea, you have latent psychic powers," he said simply, "Quite strong ones too, based on what we just experienced. I guess you've been experiencing some odd things throughout your life without knowing why."

"N-no," stammered Chelsea, "I mean, yes, but not my whole life. Just the past couple months."

"Hmm," said Professor Lloyd, picking up the spoon that Chelsea had twisted into a tangled knot. "Did something happen a few months ago? Something traumatic or upsetting?"

Chelsea glanced over at Liam. She seemed to be telling him that she didn't want to explain.

"Chelsea's Scraggy was… was killed by Team Power," said Liam, "This guy—Jiu, I think his name was—stepped on him and crushed him. I was there when it happened."

"Ah," said Professor Lloyd, "Chelsea, I'm so sorry. That's something most trainers never have to go through. How soon after that did you start noticing…?"

"I started sleepwalking," said Chelsea hesitantly. "Or, I thought I was sleepwalking. I would wake up in weird places—Liam and Vasilio found me in the New Court fountain once. I couldn't figure it out—."

"Teleportation," said Professor Lloyd.

"I guess," said Chelsea. "And I've been—I don't know how to explain it—I've just known other people's thoughts. It's been so confusing—I can't tell what I'm supposed to know or even where I learned it. I think I've even been cheating on tests without meaning to, just because I can hear what other people in the room are thinking."

Professor Lloyd stroked his chin and nodded.

"And no one in your family is a psychic?"

Chelsea shook her head.

"Not that I know of."

"Hmm," said Professor Lloyd, "Well, that's not unheard of. I've met a lot of psychics. Sometimes they have a psychic parent or grandparent, sometimes they don't."

"Are you…?" ventured Liam, but Professor Lloyd finished the question for him.

"Psychic? No. But I've taught students with psychic abilities before. It's an uncommon gift, but no more uncommon than, say, red hair."

Chelsea smiled.

"I'll have to let Christine Snyder know, of course," he continued, "But otherwise I'll leave it to you. You don't have to tell anyone you don't want to. But it really is nothing to be ashamed of. It can be quite the advantage as a Pokemon trainer. Do you have any Psychic Pokemon?"

Chelsea shook her head.

"Then, Liam, would you lend Chelsea your Espeon for a while? I wouldn't ask, except that—."

Liam was already handing Chelsea the Pokeball that contained his Espeon.

"Well, unless you have any questions, I believe that's everything," said Professor Lloyd. "Feel free to finish your tea. I'm going to finish grading these exams."

Liam and Chelsea sipped on their black tea in silence for a while. Liam kept looking at the twisted spoon—the incontrovertible reminder that what he had just experienced was real. Chelsea appeared to be lost in her own thoughts, or perhaps in his. After finishing his cup, Liam glanced at Chelsea, who wordlessly agreed that it was time for them to leave.

"Thank you, Professor Lloyd," said Chelsea.

Professor Lloyd waved them out of his classroom with a broad smile.

* * *

"Liam," said Chelsea as soon they were out of earshot of the Tactics room. "There's something… ugh, this is so awkward."

"It's okay," said Liam. "I'm listening."

Liam half-expected Chelsea to announce that she knew that he liked her. After all, she had to know. Liam spent most of his time with her thinking about how attractive she was. If she could hear people's thoughts, she must have heard that thought at least once.

"I want to… to try reading your mind," she said, her cheeks turning a deep red. "If that's—."

"That's okay," said Liam. "I mean, you've been doing it anyways, right?"

"Not on purpose," said Chelsea defensively. "And… not all the time. If anything I only seem to find out things I shouldn't know. I never find out what people had for breakfast—just that Mori has a sister or that John Kim likes Marielle or—."

"John likes Marielle?"

Chelsea bit her lip. Liam tried to conceal his pleasure and relief. Even if Chelsea did like John, her feelings were safely unrequited.

"I'm so bad at this. I need to get this under control so I don't keep on finding out things I shouldn't know and blabbing about them. I am nosy, but… I don't want to be that nosy."

Liam chuckled.

"Think about something right now," said Chelsea. "Something I don't know, and I'll see if I can figure it out."

Now that it came down to it, being asked to come up with a thought for Chelsea to read felt a bit like being asked to say something clever or tell an interested story. Liam was almost tempted to think "I like you. You're gorgeous. I want you to be my girlfriend." But that felt rude. Chelsea wasn't asking for him to open his heart to her. She just wanted help. So, Liam resolved to think about Claire. He hadn't seen her for a few weeks now, but his secret friendship with the Team Power admin was something Chelsea (probably) didn't know and something he didn't really mind revealing to her. So, doing his best to think about Claire and not about how beautiful Chelsea's freckles looked, Liam settled in to having the freshman try and read his mind. For a while, Chelsea didn't say anything.

"Something about… Claire," said Chelsea, squinting in concentration. "Oh my gosh, do you like her? Are you secretly dating her?"

Liam gave an uncomfortable laugh.

"You're getting something jumbled up in there," said Liam, as much to himself as to Chelsea. "Try again."

Chelsea put her hands on her temples and closed her eyes. Liam thought he could feel her cautiously exploring his thoughts. It was an uncomfortable but strangely intimate sensation. Liam noticed that Chelsea's breathing had slowed.

"You met Claire the night of the Winter Ball," said Chelsea, opening her eyes abruptly "And you made up with her."

"Mainly because of you," said Liam. "And don't tell anyone, okay? Mori especially. She wouldn't understand."

"You got it, bro," said Chelsea with a wink. "So… I really can do it. That's… I'll have to be more careful."

"Seems like the sort of thing that takes practice," said Liam. "Espie should be able to help you out."

"Well, now we know why he's so attached to me," said Chelsea, patting Espeon's Pokeball.

"Yeah, he found a kindred spirit in causing trouble," said Liam. "Do you want me to keep it a secret, by the way?"

Chelsea cocked her head to one side, as if pondering Liam's question very carefully.

"Yeah," she said at last. "For now."


	59. Chapter 59

_You should come to the New Court fountain._

Liam frowned at the text message. The first Saturday of break and already Vasilio was trying to drag him into something. Liam wanted the day off from socializing for once. He needed to recover from final exams and the sudden revelation that the girl he liked could read his mind.

_Why?_

He set his PokeGear back down on his bed and propped his feet up on his Houndoom, which was napping, as usual, at the foot of his bed. His PokeGear buzzed again.

_Just come. You won't regret it._

Liam sighed, stretched, and climbed stiffly out of bed. He offered his arm to his Sneasel, who crawled down from the top bunk and perched himself on Liam's shoulder. He wasn't planning on battling, so he left the rest of his Pokemon at home to enjoy their day off as he set out for New Court.

* * *

The first thing Liam noticed was the unusual number of students gathered around the dry fountain in the middle of the pink apartment complex. Besides Vasilio—who was leaning on Rebecca— he spotted Taylor, Liz, Stephanie, Rosaline, and a few older students he didn't know very well. Even Arthur and Sylvia had come from across town. Clearly, something strange was going on—even a public practice from I Am Munchlax wouldn't draw this kind of crowd. As Liam approached the fountain, he noticed that everyone seemed to be looking at him, and several of them had knowing, conspiratorial grins on their faces.

"You guys are weirding me out," said Liam to Vasilio. "What's going on?"

Vasilio was clearly trying to hold back something he found very amusing, but he said nothing. Liam was starting to get annoyed.

"Oh, come on. What is it? This is—."

"Hey, cutie," said a voice from behind him.

Liam felt a pair of slender, bony arms slide over his shoulders. He didn't have to turn around to know who it was. He had recognized her voice at once.

* * *

"Cass," said Liam breathlessly. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I just had so much fun being your girlfriend for a day last spring I decided to come back and try it again," said Cass with a goofy grin.

Liam stared at her in disbelief. She looked exactly as she had when she kissed him goodbye at the airport six months ago—well, not quite. Her thin, angular face looked fuller, her cheeks were less hollow, and her brown hair, while still short, reached to just below her chin. But her smile was the same, and her clothes were just as mismatched and unfashionable as ever. And she looked at Liam with the same playful glint in her eye—the same uncompromising cheerfulness and love for everyone and everything, and especially him.

"Kiss him!" shouted Taylor.

"I'd hate to disappoint them," said Cass, and she pulled Liam into a brief (but very affectionate) kiss. Liam was still in shock, and he could do little more than blush as his classmates cheered and clapped.

"Sorry," Cass whispered. "This was Taylor's idea. I, well, I couldn't help myself, you know?"

"I'm still… confused," said Liam apologetically.

"I bet," said Cass. "Hi Sneasel."

She scratched Liam's Pokemon behind its long, red quill.

"Did everyone know you were coming but me?"

To Liam's consternation, Cass responded with a blush.

"I mean, not everyone," she said. "Probably not everyone. I'm sure somebody didn't know."

"Fill him in at lunch, Cass," said Taylor, his guitar case slung over his shoulder. "I'm starved."

"Ooh, lunch," said Cass eagerly. "Woven Bowl?"

"Fine with me," said Taylor.

Liam realized that whatever was going on, he was going to have to wait for an explanation. So, with Cass's hand in his, he followed his friends across the busy street in front of New Court towards the Woven Bowl—Cass's favorite restaurant.

* * *

It had been Cass that originally introduced Liam to the Woven Bowl, a local restaurant that was a cornerstone of Everspring's international community. It was more than just a restaurant, of course: it was also a bakery, and a community center, and a place that provided work to people (and Pokemon) that couldn't work elsewhere. Its three floors included a craft shop, a small stage with an open mic, and an absurdly-generous buffet that came with entree order. Liam had continued to eat there regularly even after Cass had left, coming alone on Saturdays to enjoy a bowl of bibimbap and a cold Unovan Soda Pop from the fridge. It had been a long time since he had eaten there with others.

"I've missed this place so much," said Cass as they sat down together. "Hey Taylor, do I get, like, a free song? Just one?"

Taylor smiled indulgently.

"Sure, Cass," he said, unpacking his guitar from its case and approaching the stage. "Got a request?"

Cass pursed her lips thoughtfully.

"What's that's song that goes 'uh-wah oh-oh, duhduh duh-duh-duh'..."

"That's 'She Moves in Her Own Way.' It's by The Kooks."

Taylor had beaten Liam to it by a split second.

"Well, play that one," said Cass, leaning against Liam. "I like it."

Taylor gave his guitar a strum, winced at the noise, hastily tuned it, and—with a wink at Cass—played the familiar song. Cass closed her eyes and bobbed her head, coming back to reality only when the waitress—a young woman with an obvious facial burn—came to take their orders.

"So," said Liam, as Taylor gave a final strum and began bowing to the scattered applause. "Do I get an explanation now?"

Cass sighed, as if explaining her mysterious reappearance would ruin it.

"I'm just here until the end of December," she revealed. "My mom and dad could tell how much it hurt leaving Nanzo behind, so they promised I could come back and visit—if my grades were good."

"And were they?" said Liam slyly.

"Unovan school is so easy," said Cass. "Like, way too easy, actually. It's given me a lot of time to, you know, get out and see things. I've got five badges now."

She held up her wrist, where she had strung her badges like charms on a bracelet.

"You look a lot better," said Liam. "Not that you didn't… I mean, not that you weren't—."

Cass snickered.

"It has been really good for my health," she confessed. "I feel stronger. I haven't had a bad fall in a long time, and I've been walking a lot."

She sighed wistfully.

"I wish I could have stayed here. But, I'm getting adjusted. Being a normal Unovan high schooler… it's not too bad."

Liam remembered the last time she had used that phrase. It was a sudden, painful reminder that whatever he and Cass were feeling now, it couldn't last. They were, as Cass had admitted from the first, just pretending.

* * *

"So, where are you staying?" asked Liam as they sat down together on a ledge.

"With Liz," said Cass. "But her parents gave me a key, so I don't have to hurry back."

"Good," said Liam.

He intertwined his fingers with hers. They watched as a young couple played badminton in the fading light of evening. It was small things like that that made Nanzo such an attractive place. Liam felt Cass's head resting on his shoulder.

"New Court still feels like home," she said. "Not much has changed."

"Almost nothing has changed," said Liam.

"Except us," said Cass.

Liam raised an eyebrow at Cass.

"We're different," Cass continued. "I mean, not super different. You're still you and I'm still me. But I can tell that a lot has happened in the past few months. For both of us. Right?"

Liam nodded. Cass, as usual, was very perceptive.

"Something's bugging you," said Cass. "I can tell. Do you wanna talk about it?"

Instead of answering, Liam took out his PokeGear and began composing a text message.

"There's someone who would want to see you," he said evasively.


	60. Chapter 60

"Cass!" squealed Chelsea, almost tackling Cass as she threw her arms around her. "Bro, why didn't you tell me she was coming?"

"He didn't know," said Cass. "I wanted to surprise him."

The two girls embraced for a long time before Chelsea finally let go and squeezed her way onto the ledge between Liam and Cass.

"Are you back for good?" asked Chelsea.

Cass shook her head.

"Just for two weeks."

She held up two skinny fingers. Chelsea looked disappointed.

"Aw. I was hoping… But you're back now. That's what counts."

Chelsea glanced meaningfully at Liam.

"I have a lot I need to tell you," said Chelsea, lowering her voice. "I don't know if you… well, anyways, I've been trying as hard as I can to be strong like you, all semester, and—."

"Strong like me?" laughed Cass.

"Yes!" Chelsea insisted. "If I had been strong like you, I wouldn't have let my…"

She took a deep breath.

"No," said Chelsea, as if talking to herself. "It wasn't my fault. But I couldn't let it happen to anyone else."

Cass took Chelsea's freckled hands in hers.

"I'm strong now," said Chelsea confidently. "Can I… can I show you?"

Cass glanced at Liam, as if to silently ask for advice.

"Don't go easy on her," said Liam.

* * *

The battle was held in a partially enclosed patio that linked two adjacent apartment buildings. The tiled floor provided an even surface, and the concrete walls created an echo almost like that of an underground garage. Cass still seemed a little uncertain, but Chelsea's face was set.

"This is a Pokemon League unofficial battle," said Liam, who had been roped into playing referee. "One Pokemon each, no cheating, whining, or hair-pulling."

"Hah hah," said Cass, rolling her eyes. "You ready, Chelsea?"

Chelsea nodded. She took out her chosen Pokeball, closed her eyes, and Liam watched in amazement as the Pokeball floated a few inches above her fingers.

"Espeon," she said. "Go."

Liam's Espeon sprang from the Pokeball with a growl. Liam noticed that his Pokemon, usually irresponsible and aloof, looked tense and focused.

"Oohkay," said Cass. "Were you planning on, like, telling me she was psychic, Liam?"

Liam shrugged apologetically. Cass stretched her neck, then slunk into the low, almost feral posture she always adopted in battle.

"Go, Donphan!"

The elephantine Pokemon stamped and trumpeted as Cass released it from its Pokeball. Chelsea's eyes were still closed. Her left hand was extended—almost as if she was feeling the battle instead of seeing it.

"Espie," said Chelsea. "Use Reflect."

A shimmering, semi-transparent shield surrounded Espeon.

"Donphan, Knock Off!"

Donphan rolled forward and slammed into Espeon. With a choking sound, Espeon spat out its Leftovers, which made Chelsea gag as well. Liam noticed for the first time that Espeon and Chelsea were moving and acting in perfect synchronization—down to the slightest movements. As Chelsea swallowed, Espeon swallowed. When Espeon titled its head to one side, Chelsea did the same.

"Espie, use Calm Mind."

Espeon's eyes glowed. Chelsea's eyes were still closed, but Liam could see the same serenity passing over her face. He remembered the experience of his mind and hers being strangely blurred in Professor Werner's old classroom. Perhaps Espeon was experiencing the same thing.

"Donphan, Earthquake," shouted Cass. "But don't go overboard. No broken windows of anything."

Donphan pounded its thick, short legs into the ground, causing a tremor that nearly knocked Liam off his feet. A few local children had gathered to watch the battle at the safe distance, and the rumbling seemed to be just the kind of excitement they were looking for,

"You've got fans again, Cass," said Liam, jerking his head towards the children, who ducked behind a nearby planter.

"Hopefully I don't let them down," she said with the grin.

Chelsea was reaching out with her left hand, as if trying to feel out her next move. Espeon's tail twitched in rhythm with its trainer's fingers.

"Psychic," said Chelsea.

Donphan was lifted off the ground, provoking a cry of awe from the children. Liam wondered if they were about to switch sides. Just as Donphan's leathery trunk was about to scrape the ceiling of the patio, the Pokemon was jerked downward and slammed into the tile floor. For a moment, Liam wondered if Chelsea had won the battle then and there. Then, he remembered who Chez was battling.

Cass's Donphan climbed back to its feet.

"We still got this, Donphy," said Cass. "Now let's finish it. Use Return!"

With extraordinary nimbleness for a Pokemon of its size and bulk, Donphan bounded forward and threw its entire weight against Espeon. There was a resounding smack that echoed off the concrete walls. Espeon slid across the floor and—after giving a pitiable mew—lay motionless.

Chelsea's eyes shot open. For a moment, she seemed disoriented, like someone abruptly awakened from a dream. Then, her eyes fell on Espeon, laying crumbled on the tile floor.

"Oh," she said.

She seemed to come back to herself. With the listlessness of someone whose best plans had been ruined, Chelsea recalled Espeon to its Pokeball and sat down cross-legged on the cold floor. Cass was already beside her.

"Chelsea, that was incredible," said Cass. "I can't believe—I didn't know you were psychic. How did you—was that Liam's Espeon? You used it so well. I'm, like, really impressed."

"Yeah, but I lost," said Chelsea. "I'm still not—."

"You are a strong trainer," said Cass firmly. "You don't have anything to prove to me or anyone else. I look up to you. Okay?"

Chelsea met Cass's eyes.

"Really?"

"Well, you'd, like, know if I was lying, wouldn't you?" said Cass with a goofy grin.

* * *

"Thanks for telling me Cass was here, bro," said Chelsea. "I'm glad I got to battle her."

"I'm glad I got to watch," said Liam. "You're doing so well with Espie. Keep training him, okay? He needs to learn from someone he respects, and he respects you."

Chelsea's face turned red.

"Hey, so… I've been practicing a lot by myself, but… would you be okay if..?"

"You wanna try reading my mind again?"

"Yeah," said Chelsea. "Sorry, it's… just kinda hard to find willing subjects."

She rubbed her hands together nefariously.

"Well, just let me know," said Liam. "I'll be hanging out with Cass a lot, but if I'm not out with her, I'm all yours."

Chelsea's expression faltered a little at the mention of Cass.

"Are you gonna, like, get back together with her?" asked Chelsea, lowering her voice to a husky whisper.

Liam shook his head.

"We still live in two different regions," said Liam. "Her coming to visit doesn't change that."

Chelsea nodded.

"Okay, well, I'll tell you about the.. You know what."

"Okay," said Liam. "See ya."

It was a painfully awkward parting. Cass was just out of earshot, entertaining her young fans with her Raichu. There were things Liam wanted to say—things Chelsea needed to know—that he couldn't say with Cass around. Something about his expression must have given him away, because Cass, after sending the children away with Unovan candy in hand, nudged him in the ribs with her sharp, bony elbow.

"Something's still bugging you."

"Yeah," said Liam, resigning himself to the very difficult conversation he was about to have. "Cass, I—."

"You like her, don't you?" said Cass in a low voice. "Is that what was—?"

Liam jumped a little. He hadn't expected Cass to reach the heart of the matter so quickly. He tried not to blush, but he felt his face growing hot. Cass laughed at his obvious consternation.

"Sorry!" she said. "I really wasn't trying to—I mean, I actually like… I'm okay with it. As much fun as it was to have you to myself, I… well..."

Suddenly, Cass pulled Liam into a deep, long kiss. One that reminded him of the one she had given him at the airport all those months ago. It was a good kiss—the kind only shared by two people that cared deeply about each other. At least, Liam thought so. He didn't have that many others to compare it to.

"That's the last one," said Cass, pulling away with an embarrassed grin. "Ever. And don't think for a second it doesn't hurt for me to let you go, especially after I already—but, look, you two are super cute, and I wouldn't want… yeah."

"Wait," said Liam. "Are you being serious? You're not trying to trick me into…"

"No!" said Cass. "I promise I'm not trying to trick you. I'm really, really, really okay with it. I mean, of course I'm jealous—but just a little. I want you to ask her out and be a good boyfriend for her, okay? Don't dawdle around like you did with me."

"I don't know," said Liam. "I think there's… another guy that she likes."

"Yeah? Well, I could tell you also liked Mori when I started falling for you, but I also knew that I was a better fit. Who's the guy Chelsea likes?"

"John Kim," said Liam. "You know him, right? He's in 9th grade. Plays soccer. Dancer."

"Oh, okay," said Cass. "I think I…. yeah. His brother was in my class. I don't know. I'm a little biased, but… You do like her a lot, right? Like a whole lot?"

Liam nodded.

"Prove it to me," said Cass playfully. "Tell me why you like her."

Liam blushed again.

"I mean… she's funny, and sweet, but strong. Really strong. That's how I know she's not just nice. She's patient even with people that don't deserve it. Even with Claire."

"Do you think she's pretty?"

"Of course," said Liam. "I just… didn't want to bring that up because… Okay, if you want this to be awkward, I'll make it awkward. Her hair is gorgeous, but that's… I don't know, obvious. I also love her eyes, and her freckles, and her goofy smile, and… other things."

Liam carefully avoided Cass's eyes.

"She's hot, okay?"

Cass laughed.

"You're allowed to think that," she said. "Even if you never told me that I was—."

"Cass, I—."

"I'm kidding," said Cass again. "Gosh, I've missed seeing you squirm."

They were both quiet for a while. Afternoon was turning into night, and they both felt that it was time to part ways.

"You have to promise," said Cass abruptly. "Promise me you'll tell her how you feel, okay?"

"What if—?"

"What does Christine say about questions that begin that way?" teased Cass. "Come on. I want a promise."

"She already knows," said Liam. "She has to. I don't see why—."

"Liam," said Cass sternly. "Promise."

Liam sighed.

"Okay. I promise I'll tell Chelsea how I feel."

"And do it soon," Cass insisted.

Liam chuckled.

"I never thought I'd have my ex-girlfriend playing matchmaker for me."

"Yeah, well, to be honest, I never thought I would be anybody's ex-girlfriend," said Cass, almost wistfully. "But here we are. Thanks, by the way. I think we both brought out the best in each other."

Cass squeezed Liam's hand.

"Walk me home?"

"Sure," said Liam. "Any time."


	61. Chapter 61

Liam spent almost every day of winter break with Cass and her friends. There always seemed to be some old favorite spot to visit, whether that was Feather and Petal Street or Wang's Pizzaria or Jade Lake Park. On the morning of December 26th, they planned a big excursion to Santiago's for lunch. Visiting Bookwood Street the day after Christmas was a risk, but they were still surprised by the dense crowd that they found when they arrived. No one seemed to be moving, and Liam sensed immediately that something was wrong.

"Aw, what the heck?" said Taylor. "C'mon, let's get to the front and see what's going on."

They began to shove and squirm their way through the crowd, which parted only reluctantly. As they approached the front of the group, several of the students gasped.

"Oh my gosh," said Cass.

The street was covered with broken glass and wooden splinters. The front windows of Santiago's had shattered, leaving only stray fragments clinging in their frames. Liam could see police officers—including Mr. Liu, Sylvia and Arthur's father—grimly inspecting the carnage, while their Growlithes methodically sniffed the scene. There were no bloodstains or chalk outlines, but the violence of whatever had happened was undeniable.

"Baba!" called Sylvia, waving to her father, who caught sight of them at once and beckoned them forward through the crowd of onlookers.

"Sylvia," said Mr. Liu with an uncomfortable smile. "You chose a bad time to go out with your friends, eh? Quite a mess here."

"What happened, dad?" asked Arthur seriously.

Commissioner Liu shrugged.

"What does it look like?" he said, gesturing around at the carnage. "We found two fainted Electrodes in the first floor bathroom. Team Power, of course. Who else?"

"Was anyone hurt, Commissioner Liu?" asked Stephanie.

"No," said Mr. Liu distractedly. "No, just a few scrapes and busted eardrums—nothing serious. Of course, the ones who did it are long gone. Who knows where."

He threw up his arms helplessly.

"Well, I have to clean up this mess," said Mr. Liu apologetically. "Be careful, eh? Get lunch somewhere with less explosions."

He winked at them and went back to overseeing the crime scene. For a while, none of them said anything.

"...let's go to the Parfum Cafe," said Arthur at last.

They all nodded in silent agreement.

* * *

"I want to know how this happened," said the Grandmaster coldly.

Claire did her best to suppress her triumphant smile. Zhang was sweating under the Grandmaster's piercing gaze, standing across from the dark, ornate desk in stiff attention.

"A rogue operation," said Zhang. "The grunts responsible will be punished."

"It appears that discipline in Nanzo is slipping," said the Grandmaster icily. "This is the second incident that has nearly exposed our entire operation. Clearly something is going wrong in Nanzo."

Claire leaned forward, ready to join her father in dressing-down her rival.

"Wait," said the voice in Claire's mind.

She shot an annoyed look at Rasmus, who was leaning against the wall of the Grandmaster's office. Chewing out Zhang was an indulgence she was loath to forgo. Still, Rasmus was probably right. Jumping in now would only make her look petty. The Grandmaster was leaning back in his chair, touching the tips of his fingers together thoughtfully.

"We can't jeopardize everything when we're this close," he said softly.

His emotionless eyes flicked from Zhang to Claire.

"Admin Claire, can you bring the grunts in Nanzo back under control?"

"Of course," said Claire, springing to her feet. "It will be done, Grandmaster."

The Grandmaster gave the slightest of satisfied nods.

"Rasmus," he said. "Take Admin Claire to Nanzo this evening. She will have direct command from now on."

"Whenever you're ready, Admin," said Rasmus.

Claire could barely contain her smug satisfaction as she walked past Zhang and out of the office with Rasmus. This confirmed it—she was at her father's right hand again. Zhang was out—she was in. The attack on Nanzo would be her crowning achievement. Even working with Rasmus almost felt worth it for this.

* * *

"I don't get it," said Cass as the waiter arrived with their drinks. "So Silas says Team Power aren't supposed to be in Everspring at all, but this is the second time something like this has happened this year?"

"Yeah," said Taylor. "It doesn't add up."

"Third, actually," said Liam timidly.

They all looked at him. Liam took a deep breath.

"You all remember that rain at Fall Camp, right? That was Claire. That was actually why I fell into the stream. I was trying to grab her before she got away."

Everyone—except his classmates—stared at Liam in stunned silence.

"Dude, give me my money back." said Taylor to Vasilio.

"Yeah, no way," said Vasilio. "Liam fell into the river because of Claire. That's way closer to what I said than him getting eaten by an Ursaring."

"Are you sayin' Claire doesn't significantly resemble an Ursaring?" said Taylor.

"He's got a point, Vasi," said Rebecca.

"I'm gonna text Silas and let him know," said Arthur, taking out his phone. "Team Power is definitely in Everspring."

"Yeah, but if we don't know where, what good is it?" asked Liz. "They could be basically anywhere, right?"

Cass stroked her chin thoughtfully.

"Could they be, like, coming in and out, but not actually here?"

"No way," said Liz. "Team Truth would catch them at the border."

"Unless they don't have to cross the border," said Liam, struck by a sudden idea.

Taylor cocked his head.

"Man, this keeps getting weirder and weirder."

"No, listen," said Liam urgently. "They've got that guy Rasmus, right? He's supposed to be psychic."

"He is psychic," Liz confirmed. "I met him back in the day."

"Wait," said Sylvia. "People with psychic abilities can do basically everything psychic Pokemon can. So if Rasmus…"

"Dude," said Taylor, his eyes wide. "Raz is teleporting them in and out."

"So they could be in every city," said Arthur.

"We must be ready to fight them," said Ruth seriously.

Everyone nodded.

"Silas can't be everywhere," said Arthur. "It's gonna be on us to stop them if something goes down in Everspring."

"We've done it before," said Liz.

Cass squirmed excitedly in her chair.

"I'm so jealous of you guys," she said. "Still here fighting Team Power. I wish I could help."

"Don't be," said Sylvia, adjusting her round glasses in a businesslike manner. "Okay, if we're gonna do this, we'll need to be organized. We'll need some rules. First rule is that the adults don't know about this. If they find out, they'll try and stop us."

"And you guys didn't believe when I said my sis was underhanded and conspiratorial," Arthur muttered.

"Second rule is we keep watch and we share information," Sylvia continued. "If we see anything suspicious, we share it with the team."

"And what's the team called?" said Vasilio.

Liam reluctantly raised his hand.

"Well, back in the Second Pokemon War, there were volunteers from Unova that fought for Nanzo against the Kantonian Empire," explained Liam, "called the Flying Incineroars. Professor Werner was one of them. If we're protecting Nanzo together, I think it'd be fitting to name ourselves after them."

"I like it," said Liz.

Liam was relieved, even though he had expected that the flavor of his suggestion would tickle Liz's local pride.

"It doesn't really roll off the tongue," said Arthur, clearly still unconvinced.

Liam conceded that much.

"Since we won't be doing any flying," suggested Stephanine. "What about just the Incineroars?"

"The New Incineroars," Taylor, gesturing as if to indicate the name written in huge letters on a billboard.

"Still too long," said Vasilio. "Hey, Liam, what was the Flying Incineroars' real name? The official one?"

Liam thought for a moment.

"The Unovan Volunteer Group."

"Then how about this," said Vasilio. "If they were the UVG, we're the IVG—the International Volunteer Group."

"The IVG, aka the New Incineroars," Taylor pressed.

"That works for me," said Sylvia. "And guys, be careful who you let in on this. The more people know, the more likely the adults are to find out."

"Keep it to the teams," added Arthur. "And anyone else that can actually handle themselves," he added with a glance at Vasilio and Ruth.

"I wish I could help," sad Cass. "Is there really nothing I can do?"

"Pray for us," said Ruth simply.

"Yeah," Arthur concurred. "I think we'll need it."


	62. Chapter 62

"I love bubble tea," said Cass, taking a long sip from her straw.

It was the first Saturday of the new year—at least by Western reckoning—and the last day before Cass returned to Unova. She and Liam were walking back from the bubble tea store behind New Court. It was afternoon, and although the skies were unusually clear, it was still winter, and the wind carried a slight bite.

"Can you get it in Unova?" asked Liam.

"Well, kinda," said Cass. "I mean, you can, if you, like, go all the way downtown in Castelia, but… I dunno, too crowded for me."

"Are you looking forward to going back?"

Cass stopped suddenly, leaning against the door of a shop.

"Sorry, can you hold this?"

She passed Liam her bubble tea and began adjusting the orthotic brace on her left leg.

"I'm getting these taken off when I get back," she said irritably.

"I thought you said they were helping,"

"Yeah, well, they are," said Cass, straightening up. "Doesn't mean I like 'em."

She smiled as Liam gave her back her bubble tea.

"It still sucks to go back," Cass confessed. "But… I'm starting to like it, I guess. The Pokemon are better than the people."

"You should catch a Zorua for me," said Liam.

Cass snorted.

"You are such a TCK. 'Catch me a Zorua' is like the Nanzonese version of 'Do you ride a Pangoro to school?' They're kinda rare, Liam."

"Doesn't hurt to ask," Liam shrugged.

Cass sat gingerly down on the edge of the empty fountain in the middle of New Court. Liam sat down beside her, and for a long time they simply took in everything that was going on around them. Just out the main gate, the beginnings of rush hour traffic roared by. Spearow twittered on the power lines above. Somewhere in the distance, they could hear young children squealing and laughing at some game. The air was chilly, and Liam noticed that Cass was shivering.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," said Cass lightly. "Unova's way colder than this."

"You ready to head to dinner?"

Cass nodded. Liam got up first and helped his friend to her feet.

"Hey," said Cass, leaning on Liam as she found her balance. "Remember what you promised me. Don't wait too long."

Liam raised an eyebrow.

"Ask her to Spring Banquet," said Cass. "Chunjie is late this year. Ask her before the break. Don't wait around for forever."

"Or what?" said Liam mischievously.

"Or you won't deserve her," said Cass. "My legs are really stiff. Is it okay if I…"

She linked arms with Liam.

"I'm gonna miss you," said Liam as they started towards the Woven Bowl. "A lot."

"Well, then hurry up and get over me," said Cass. "I'll do my best to meet a nice Unovan guy who isn't… unbearably stupid."

She gave a deep sigh.

"I'm sure they're out there," said Liam.

"Just between you and me," said Cass, lowering her voice to a whisper. "The gym leader in Aspertia City is super cute—in the brooding, jerkish kinda way. Kinda like you."

Liam glanced at Cass in surprise.

"I haven't ever talked to him," Cass confessed in a mumble. "But I'll get around to it, like, eventually."

Liam did his best not to grin.


	63. Chapter 63

Liam heard a knock in his window. Given that his bedroom was about six floors up, this was unexpected. He was almost afraid to look at the source of the noise, but the persistence of the knocking told him that either it was a very eager ghost or—and somehow this seemed more likely—Claire was paying him an unexpected visit. Liam scrambled to put on a shirt and, after a moment's hesitation, unlocked his window and helped Claire as she climbed off her Braviary and into his bedroom.

"Took you long enough," Claire grumbled.

"Shh," said Liam. "My parent's room is right next door."

Claire smirked contemptuously.

"Afraid you're gonna get in trouble for having a girl in your room?"  
"Actually, yes," said Liam, pushing his Houndoom aside to give Claire room to sit on his bed. "Especially a girl who's also trying to overthrow the Pokemon League. I'm not sure which one would freak out my mom more."

Claire rolled her eyes,

"So…" prompted Liam. "What have you been… up to?"

He was hoping that Claire would say her piece and get out as quickly as possible.

"Well," said Claire proudly. "There's a lot of stuff I… well, can't tell you, But everything's going very well. My dad put me in charge of something… really big. And more importantly, the complete jerk who used to be in charge is in trouble with my dad. So things are pretty amazing right now."

"Great," said Liam with a yawn. "I'm glad Nanzo's impending doom is going so well."

"That wasn't the point," said Claire, starting to get a little irritated with Liam. "Geez, you've really gotta twist everything I—."

Liam's PokeGear was buzzing. With a resigned (but not very apologetic) shrug, Liam answered the call.

"Hello?" he said.

He heard Chelsea's voice on the other end, which made him smile. Claire crossed her arms and feigned indifference to the interruption.

"Hey Chez. Yeah, Cass got to her flight okay. She said she'd email me when she got back. Yeah. No, nothing much. Just… talking with wanted criminals."

Claire blinked. Liam noticed with satisfaction that there was a hint of fear in her face, as if she half-expected him to sell her out on the spot.

"What?" Liam continued. "Oh, yeah, she's… right here. In my room. No, she invited herself. Yeah, I'll be fine. Okay. See you tomorrow, Chez."

He hung up his PokeGear and bent over to plug it in to its charger.

"So you told Chez?" said Claire.

Liam smirked at her evident annoyance.

"Yeah," he said, leaning back with a cocky smile. "Well, I didn't really tell her. She kinda just… figured it out"

"And you still like her, right?," said Claire.

"Yeah."

"And she's okay with… well, that you and I are…"

"Yeah, she's fine with it," said Liam. "She's the only one that knows, by the way. I have other friends that wouldn't take it so well."

"Like Grace Shaw?"

Liam nodded.

"And, to be clear, I think she has a point. I don't feel great about acting as confidant to my friends' enemy."

"I never did anything to them," said Claire sullenly. "I get why Grace… Mori can't stand me, and I don't really care, but Sylvia? Stephanie? Ruth? What did I do to—?"

"The thing at the Orphanage probably has something to do with it," said Liam. "What was up with that, by the way?"

Claire was eyeing Liam's Sneasel, which was peering down at her from the top bunk, with trepidation.

"That Pokemon really doesn't like me."

"I can't imagine why," said Liam, flicking Claire on the shoulder. "Anyways, you're dodging the question."

Claire gave a long sigh.

"Well, you remember when I came to the school, right? Well, when Jiu blew everything and got his butt kicked by Professor Werner, it was a huge mess. It took weeks to get the grunts back under control. I knew what they were saying about me. They thought I was too weak to take on the school. So, I decided to prove them wrong."

"You attacked a Pokemon orphanage to prove a point?"

"I wouldn't have done it if you guys hadn't been there," Claire mumbled. "Anyways, who cares about a Pokemon orphanage? Why don't they just release all those Pokemon instead of—."

Liam's Sneasel growled menacingly.

"Can we trade spots?" said Claire nervously. "I think your Sneasel is gonna—."

"Claire, most of those Pokemon are disabled. They couldn't make it in the wild."

"Well, tough luck," said Claire, scooting closer to Liam and further away from his Sneasel. "Some Pokemon are strong and some Pokemon are weak, and I don't see why it's our responsibility to—."

"Okay, two things," said Liam, holding up two threatening fingers for his uninvited guest. "First, most disabled Pokemon got that way because of something people did to them, so I think we have at least some responsibility to put that right."

"Yeah, but I didn't—."

"Second," said Liam through clenched teeth. "Who died and made you Arceus, getting to decide who's strong and who's weak? You never met Cass McCleod, did you?"

"No," said Claire. "But what's that got to do with—?"

"Cass was born with a disease that makes it hard for her to walk or do anything really physical. She's also the best Pokemon trainer I've ever met. She would kick your spoiled ass without breaking a sweat, so I don't want to hear anything from you about…"

Tears were welling in Claire's cold, blue eyes. Liam didn't feel particularly sorry for her, and he was sure she was only wallowing in self-pity, but he couldn't bring himself to berate someone who looked so pathetic.

"S-sorry," sniffed Claire. "It seems like I c-can't ever…. Do anything right."

She got up and moved towards the window.

"Claire, don't—."

"What's the point? The one friend I have in the… the whole world and even you think I'm some kind of…"

She shook her head, letting her blonde curls fall carelessly over her face. She reached for the handle to open the window.

"Claire, please…"

"What?" snapped Claire. "What can you have to say that could..?"

Liam put a hand gently on her shoulder. Claire shuddered at his touch.

"It hurts me to see you hurting. Even when you deserve it."

Claire was breathing heavily. Liam could still see the tears sliding silently down her face. Without warning, she wrapped her arms around Liam and buried her face in his shoulder.

"You're the only one," she sobbed. "Nobody else… nobody would… would miss me. I came to tell you… that my dad p-put me in charge because… n-nobody else cares."

Liam noticed that his Sneasel was giving him a very judgmental look.

"Get over it," he mouthed.

"Will you promise me something, Liam?" said Claire, wiping her eyes.

"Maybe," said Liam.

"Whatever happens with Chelsea, will you still be my friend?"

Liam couldn't help but smile.

"No matter what happens," he said. "I will always be your friend."

Sneasel gave a sulky growl.


	64. Chapter 64

"Bro, that's so cool," said Chelsea excitedly.

Liam had just finished telling her about the founding of the IVG—or the New Incineroars, or whatever it was called. Taylor, Vasilio, and Sylvia had restarted the argument that day at lunch.

"Not so loud," said Liam. "This is like an actual secret, not a 'secret that everybody knows' secret."

"I get it,' said Chelsea. "I promise I won't tell anyone, and—."

"Especially not Marsha."

"—and especially not Marsha," repeated Chelsea.

She closed her locker and clumsily reattached the combination lock.

"I'm gonna tell the others about the notes in your locker, by the way," Liam continued. "I feel like that's something we need to take into account."

"Okay," said Chelsea. "That makes sense."

Liam closed his locker, but before he could reach for it, he heard his combination lock click shut.

"Cool, huh?" said Chelsea, tapping the side of her head. "I've been practicing."

Liam was impressed. He was no expert, but he felt certain Chelsea was progressing unusually well with her psychic powers.

"Who have you told?" asked Liam as they began walking down the hall together.

"Just Marsha," said Chelsea. "And if you think I'm nosy, you should hear the things she wants me to do with it."

Liam chuckled. He was proud of Chelsea for not using mind-reading as a tool in her and Marsha's insatiable quest for teenage drama.

"Are you gonna keep it a secret much longer?"

"I dunno," said Chelsea with a shrug. "It's hard to know how to tell people, you know? Hey, what class are you going to, anyways?"

Liam stopped in his tracks. He had been walking next to Chelsea without thinking about where he was going—and nearly followed her all the way to Professor Shrike's classroom when he was supposed to be in the chemistry lab at the other end of the atrium.

"Crap," said Liam. "I wasn't paying attention. I should—."

Liam glanced around. There was no one else within earshot. He remembered his promise to Cass. He needed to tell Chelsea. At least ask her to the Spring Banquet. He sensed that if he didn't say it now, he could never trust himself to go through with it.

"Chez," said Liam. "There's something I need to… ask you."

Liam bit his tongue. He was locked into it now, but he couldn't find the words.

"Spit it out, bro," said Chelsea.

Liam felt his face going red. The words weren't coming to him. He shifted from one foot to the other.

"I was… well, I thought… can't you just read my mind so I don't have to say it?"

Chelsea shook her head.

"Okay," said Liam, taking a breath. "Chelsea, I want…"

He shook himself. This was it.

"Chez, I like you a lot and I want you to go to Spring Banquet with me."

Liam hadn't meant to include the first part, and he immediately regretted it as he saw Chelsea's face turning a deep red.

"Sorry," he said with a wince. "Sorry, I…"

His phrasing had been terrible—he hadn't even managed to structure his invitation to Spring Banquet as a question. It was the nightmare scenario that always held him back come to life. But then—.

"Okay" said Chelsea, "I will."

Liam's heart leapt, but being jerked from mortification to elation in the space of a moment didn't do much to stop the trembling in his hands and voice.

"Good," he stammered, "That's… I'm really…"

"Let's talk about it after school," said Chelsea, glancing over her shoulder, "Or we're both gonna be late to class."

"Oh," said Liam. "Yeah. Good idea. See you then."

"See you then," repeated Chelsea, and she turned in the direction of Shrike's history classroom. But before she took a step, she looked back at Liam. She didn't say anything, but Liam heard her voice in his mind.

"I like you too."

Chelsea's eyes went wide, as if she had been astounded by her own daring, and she immediately took off down the hall at a run. Liam stood dumbstruck for a moment. He didn't know what he was feeling—relief, embarrassment, ecstasy—but he liked how it felt. As he took his seat next to Mori in Pokemon Chemistry, she raised her eyebrows in surprise at the glowing expression on his face.

"What's up with you?" she asked.

"Nothing," said Liam.

"Okay, you're a super bad liar," said Mori, fixing him with her intense stare. "What color dress is Chelsea wearing?"

Liam smiled wide despite himself.

"She hasn't decided yet."

* * *

Liam stood beside the guard shack, cracking his knuckles in agitation as he waited for his afterschool rendevouz with Chelsea. He had carefully avoided meeting her in the hallways, feeling like this would have been too awkward. Vasilio and Mori had teased him with knowing looks all the way through Pokemon Chemistry, and the way Liam bolted from the room the second the final bell rang seemed like the most magnificent joke of all. Skipping his locker, he had mae straight for the school gate—becoming an awkward third sentry along with the gate guard and his shaggy Mightyena. Most of the students walking out the gate paid no attention to Liam, but Robert—I Am Munclax's tousle-haired freshman drummer—approached Liam with a wide, winning grin and gave him a first-bump.

"Nice," he said simply.

It felt like forever before Chelsea, flanked by Marsha, finally made her way to where Liam was waiting. Marsha walked up to Liam with a very serious expression.

"If you ravish her, I will decapitate you!" said Marsha, pointing a finger threateningly at him.

"Okay…" said Liam.

He wondered whether Chelsea's friend had any further multi-syllabic threats to his life, but Marsha seemed satisfied. She nodded to Chelsea in a businesslike manner and left. Chelsea smiled apologetically.

"Hi," she said, "Sorry about that, Marsha…"

"It's okay," said Liam with a smirk. "She's gotta practice those SAT words."

"I guess," said Chelsea.

There was an awkward silence. Liam mentally reminded himself that they were on the same page. This DTR was, in some ways, just a formality. It didn't make him feel any less insecure.

"Should we, uh, sit down?" said Liam, looking at the curb just outside the school gate.

"Okay," said Chelsea, and they settled into another long, awkward silence.

Liam was starting to wonder whether Chelsea had changed her mind after rashly confessing her feelings to him just an hour before. He had to say something.

"So you already knew?" Liam ventured.

"Well, yeah. I can read your mind, bro."

Liam was relieved to see Chelsea smiling. He relaxed a little. Maybe this would turn out okay.

"Uh… how long have you known?"

Chelsea shrugged.

"I dunno. I wasn't really sure of it until you called me over break. I knew you wouldn't have done that unless… but, yeah. Ever since I figured out I could read minds, it's been pretty obvious."

"I guess I… spend a lot of time thinking about you," Liam conceded.

Chelsea giggled.

"I had a bit of a crush on you last year," she confessed. "You know, after the… thing at the Woven Bowl. But I got over it during the summer. Marsha has been shipping us all semester."

"I should've known," said Liam, shaking his head at Marsha's insatiable appetite for relationship drama.

"It was mostly a joke," Chelsea continued. "But… I don't know. When I realized you were interested in me, I was… really flattered. And I got really jealous when Cass came back. That's what made me realize that I actually really, really wanted…"

Chelsea shot a furtive glance at Liam.

"So you gonna kiss me or what?"

Liam wasn't really sure which one of them had leaned in first. But as his mouth pressed against Chelsea's, it didn't matter. He was lost in the taste of her lips and the smell of her hair and clothes. His eyes closed, his hands felt their way to Chelsea's waist. He felt her body trembling, but something—not a voice in his mind, but something nearly as tangible—was telling him not to stop. Not that he wanted to. He had waited for this for too long.

* * *

"Oh my gosh," said Chelsea, fanning herself, "I'm gonna need that at least three times a day from now on."

Chelsea took her phone out of her pocket and started composing a text message.

"Uh, Chez," said Liam, looking over her shoulder, "What are you..?"

"I gotta tell Marsha I just had my first kiss with my first boyfriend," she said proudly.

She noticed the uncomfortable look on Liam's face.

"Oh, is that weird?" she said apologetically. "Sorry, I won't—."

"It's fine," said Liam. "Just… not every time."

"Okay," smiled Chelsea.

Liam played with a strand of Chelsea's curly hair as she finished the text to Marsha. Several Zubat flittered overhead, but otherwise the neighborhood was quiet. The afternoon was turning into early evening..

"We should get out of here," said Liam. "Probably better not to get caught hanging around the school this late."

"Yeah, someone might think we're up to something," said Chelsea with a mischievous grin. "You gonna hold my hand, bro?"

Liam snorted.

"You gonna keep calling me 'bro' even though I'm your boyfriend?"

Chelsea frowned thoughtfully.

"Would you prefer an embarrassing nickname? I can come up with a really mushy one."

Liam intertwined his fingers with hers.

"Nah. I'd rather you keep being you."

Chelsea sighed wistfully.

"So far, this is just as good as I imagined."

* * *

Liam and Chelsea didn't say much as they walked to the bus stop together. Liam was afraid that whatever he said would be stupid and ruin the bliss of the moment, and besides, Chelsea had unmitigated access to his thoughts without him opening his mouth. So he thought about how incredible Chelsea looked, and how he couldn't wait to taste her lips again, and how he could kiss this beautiful girl whenever he wanted now.

They arrived at the bus stop. There were no afterschool activities on the first Monday back from break, so they were the only students waiting for Bus 77. Liam slid his arms awkwardly around Chelsea's waist, holding her as close as possible without scandalizing the middle-aged Nanzonese woman who was sitting on a bench just a few meters away.

"Rules!" said Chelsea abruptly.

She squirmed her way out of Liam's arms.

"Rules?"

"Yeah," said Chelsea. "Uh, clothes stay on. And keep your hands off here and here."

She pointed to her chest and just below her waist.

"Got it," said Liam.

"And that thing you're thinking right now is definitely not allowed, bro," added Chelsea, nudging him in the ribs.

"Sorry," said Liam. "Dating a girl who can read your mind is complicated."

Chelsea snorted. Bus number 75 pulled up to the stop, dropped off a few passengers, and pulled away.

"Hey," said Chelsea, as if struck by a sudden idea. "Can I try something?"

"Sure," said Liam, and to his surprise, Chelsea wrapped her arms around him and pressed her face against his chest.

"I don't feel like taking the bus," she said. "Let's see if I can make it all the way to New Court."

Liam's heart started to race as he realized what Chelsea was about to try. He closed his eyes and held on to his girlfriend for dear life. He hoped that teleportation was nothing like riding a roller coaster. He hated roller coasters.


	65. Chapter 65

"Admin Claire."

Claire didn't open her eyes. Maybe it wasn't that important. Maybe he would go away. She needed her sleep. Whatever it was could wait.

"Admin Claire, they brought in one of the traitors."

Claire groaned. She didn't want to deal with this right now. The prisoner would still be around in the morning. She pulled at her quilt and rolled over. She was going to get at least another hour of sleep.

"Admin, please, Rasmus wants you to—."

Claire pounded her fist against her sleeping bag. So that was it. Rasmus wanted to toy with their new captive, and he wanted her to be there to witness it. She rubbed her eyes and checked her watch. It was 2:27.

"I'm gonna kill that freak," she muttered.

Claire closed her eyes as tight as possible, mentally counted to ten, and forced herself into a sitting position. The grunt who had been sent to wake her was still there—standing uncomfortably just a few feet from her bedroll in a way that told Claire he was under strict orders not to return without her.

"Give me a sec," said Claire. "I need to get dressed."

Claire hastily brushed her tangled blonde hair and put on her bandana. She had given up on doing her face paint since the transfer to Nanzo. The abandoned, half-completed shell of an office building where they made their base offered few comforts, and when everything and everyone was covered in dust and dirt, Claire wasn't going to make the extra effort to stand out.

Claire's sleeping bag was in a secluded corner of the hideout—secluded, but not private. With three dozen grunts camping out and Rasmus coming and going without warning, the only privacy Claire could find was by sneaking out on her own. Sometimes she went to see Liam. Usually, she watched him from a distance.

"Alright," said Claire to the grunt. "Let's go see this traitor."

* * *

The prisoner was restrained in his chair by the prehensile vines of a Tangrowth. He looked older than Claire, but not much older. She studied his face, but couldn't recognize him. There had been a few grunts that deserted before she took over from Zhang. She reasoned that this must be one of them.

"So," began Claire. "Who are you?"

"A rat," said a cold voice. "Caught in a trap."

Rasmus was leaning against a nearby pillar. His bright blue eyes were fixed on the prisoner—looking inside of him rather than at him. Even watching Rasmus crawl around in someone else's mind made Claire uneasy, but she noticed that something was off. There had been a note of agitation in Rasmus' voice, and his eyes were twitching erratically, as if he was struggling to force his way into the prisoner's head.

"Having trouble?" asked Claire.

Rasmus clenched his teeth and stared even harder at the captive. Claire smiled to herself. Seeing Rasmus this frustrated was a rare treat. Finally, after several minutes of pregnant silence, Rasmus appeared to give up, and the prisoner relaxed in his chair.

"He's been trained to resist psychic powers," said Rasmus, breathing heavily. "We'll have to find another way to make him talk."

"Why does that matter?" said Claire, lowering her voice so as not to be overheard by the prisoner. "What does he know that we need?"

Rasmus scoffed. Claire noticed that the red veins in his eyes,

"There's a network," he said. "An underground of former Team Power members conspiring against us. Our captive knows something about it. I want to know what."

Claire raised an eyebrow.

"You're getting paranoid. A few grunts ditched. So what?"

"Someone is helping them," said Rasmus darkly. "And the ones that are leaving are taking our secrets with them. It's time to plug the leak."

"Well, he's not gonna talk your way," said Claire, jerked her head at the captive.

"Then he'll be made to talk in the way of Team Power," said Rasmus, his lips curling into a sneer. "I understand you have some experience breaking others in this way."

Claiire's fingers went numb. It had been a long time. Long enough that it didn't feel real anymore. She hesitated. Someone else could do it. She was in charge here, after all. She didn't need to personally—Rasmus was in her mind. Crawling around like a spider. He would make sure it was her. There was no way out.

"Bring me his Pokemon," said Claire.

She almost didn't recognize her own voice.

* * *

Author's Note: It's been a while since the last chapter, which I think needs an explanation. I've been transitioning to a new job at a different international school—the same international school that inspired Everspring International Pokemon Academy, in fact. I've been busy with beginning-of-the-year madness, but I should be back to posting several times a week when things settle down. Thank you to D. N. and all my other regard readers for your continued support.


	66. Chapter 66

"Well, well, well," said Taylor as Liam stepped through the school gate the next morning. "Look who's dating a freshman like a complete loser. Robbing the cradle. Have you no shame?"

He gave Liam a congratulatory slap on the back.

"Who told you?' said Liam, feeling secretly pleased that his relationship with Chelsea was already common knowledge.

"Orchid," said Taylor. "Which is too bad, because I was kinda hopin' something was gonna happen between her and you, you know what I'm sayin'? Plus I put all that work in to getting you and Cass back together. But I won't hold it against you."

"Thanks," said Liam sarcastically.

Vasilio gave Liam another—even harder—congratulatory backslap.

"Ow!"

"Took you long enough," said Vasilio. "You want all those make-out spots now or later?"

"Maybe later," said Liam. "I, uh… crap."

Marsha was striding towards him like an angry Scyther, and he thought he saw his doom glistening in her black eyes.

"What?" said Vasilio.

"I think I'm about to be decapitated."

Marsha stopped in front of Liam, squinting fiercely up at him. Liam rubbed his neck nervously.

"Chelsea is very happy," announced Marsha.

She then turned on her heel and strode off. Vasilio and Taylor burst into laughter at Liam's evident relief.

"Guess the crazy best friend comes with the territory," Taylor observed.

"Yeah," said Liam. "It's worth it though."

"That's disgustingly cute," said Vasilio. "Don't let Mori hear you talking like that—unless you wanna get strangled."

Liam laughed. One side effect of being in love was being a little less afraid of Mori.

"Liam!"

Miss Snyder was calling to him from across the schoolyard. Ordinarily, this would be cause for anxiety, but Liam was in such an excellent mood that he wasn't really worried. With a shrug, he left his friends by the gate and met Miss Snyder by the doors to the campus' main building.

"Hey Christine," said Liam. "What's up?"

"Cheeky today," Miss Snyder observed. "Follow me."

* * *

Liam was surprised to see Mori sitting on the couch as he followed Miss Snyder into the office.

"Can you wait outside for a moment, Grace?" said the guidance counselor.

Without a word or glance at Liam, Mori got up and left, closing the door behind her. Liam looked curiously at Miss Snyder.

"Why was Mori—?"

"Not your business," said Miss Snyder curtly. "Sit down."

Liam reluctantly sat down on Miss Snyder's couch and waited as the guidance counselor put a stack of forms away in her filing cabinet.

"I want you to appoint another student officer for Team Virtue," said Miss Snyder as she finally sat down at her desk.

"Oh," said Liam. "Uh… why?"

Miss Snyder's freckled nose twitched slightly.

"To put it frankly, it's not appropriate for you to be running Team Virtue by yourself and dating one of the initiates."

"Oh," said Liam sheepishly. "So, you… heard about me and... "

Miss Snyder gave a confident smirk.

"Right, you find out about everything," said Liam. "You know, Tim Choi is technically—."

"When's the last time he came to a meeting?"

Liam swallowed.

"It was… maybe, early November?"

Miss Snyder opened her planner and began writing a note.

"Have another officer picked out before the end of the week," she said. "I'll check with you on Friday morning. Got it?"

Liam nodded. He wasn't sure how he was going to find someone before Friday. He didn't have that many options. He respected all the younger initiates but none of them—Jera perhaps excepted—were more than average Pokemon trainers.

"Alright, get out of here," said Miss Snyder brusquely. "And send in Grace Shaw if she's still out there."

Liam climbed slowly to his feet. He had thought there wasn't anything that could spoil his mood that morning, but he felt decidedly down as he stepped out into the hall. He found Mori leaning against the wall with her arms crossed.

"Christine says you can go in," said Liam.

Mori fixed her large, black eyes on Liam, studying him carefully.

"So it was him," said Mori glumly. "I figured."

"What?"

"Forget it," said Mori. "I'll see you in class. Maybe."

She stepped around him and closed the door of Miss Snyder's office. The morning bell rang. Liam took a deep breath.

"Hey, bro."

Liam jumped. Chelsea was just inches away from him, and he definitely hadn't heard her approaching.

"H-hey Chez," said Liam breathlessly. "Did you teleport to school?"

Chelsea nodded proudly.

"I actually woke up five minutes ago," she confessed as they started walking towards her homeroom. "So I'm not just slacking on my makeup because I've caught you now."

Liam snorted. His fingers felt their way to hers, and their pinkies and ring fingers furtively intertwined. Even this was technically against the rules, but Liam couldn't help it. He needed to touch her. He had missed her in a way he knew was totally irrational. He had lain awake in his bed, staring at his top bunk and replaying the day in his head over and over again. Now—finally—he was with her again. And, as they arrived at the door to Professor Wort's science classroom, it was already time to part again.

"I could get used to my boyfriend walking me to homeroom," Chelsea said wistfully.

She reluctantly loosened her grasp on Liam's fingers.

"Well," said Liam, leaning in to risk a goodbye kiss. "I guess I'll see you at—."

"Don't even think about, buster."

The voice was Sylvia's. She grabbed Liam by the arm and began escorting him back down the hall and away from his girlfriend. Chelsea looked torn between mortification and amusement, and she managed a sheepish smile before she disappeared into Wort's classroom. Liam knew better than to fight against Sylvia's grip.

"Did I just fall afoul of your new anti-PDA campaign or something?" Liam grumbled.

"Actually, Vasi sent me to collect you," said Sylvia pleasantly. "He was worried you'd be late to class for some reason."

"What a great friend," said Liam, rolling his eyes.

Even Professor Rollon had a knowing smirk ready for Liam when he arrived in the sophomore homeroom as Sylvia's prisoner. Liam was, of course, secretly pleased by the attention, but he kept up the appearance of being annoyed as well as he could.

"I have rescued him from almost certain temptation," announced Sylvia as she marched Liam to his usual seat.

"Yay for me," said Liam. "Come on, Sylv, I think I'm safe from any PDA violations now."

"Ooh, what'd he do?" said Vasilio with a smirk.

"Nothing!" Liam insisted.

"Attempted PDA," said Sylvia.

"That is very serious," Ruth concurred.

"You can't arrest someone for attempted PDA," said Liam.

"Liam's right, Sylv. That's not even a real thing," Vasilio pointed out.

Professor Rollon chuckled. The second morning bell rang, and Stephanie closed the door to the Literature classroom. Glancing around, Liam confirmed what he had already been suspecting.

Mori was nowhere to be seen.

"Is she still with Christine?" Liam wondered aloud.

Vasilio shrugged, but Liam noticed that it was the shrug of someone who knew something, but didn't want to talk about it.


	67. Chapter 67

Mori wasn't at school at all that day, or the day after that. Besides the suspicion that she had gotten into some kind of trouble and that Vasilio knew what kind of trouble it was, Liam couldn't make much of her disappearance.

"Well, yeah, I… kinda know," said Chelsea during morning break on Wednesday. "But you wouldn't want me to tell you things I'm not even supposed to know, right?"

Liam granted the point.

"So.. what do you want to do for lunch?"

It was a question with a hidden meaning. They had missed lunch completely on Tuesday—the consequence of spending the entire 45 minute period making out in the stairwell of an apartment building near the school. Liam wanted to make sure he didn't send his girlfriend hungry to fifth period again.

"Let's go to the spicy potato lady," said Chelsea. "Then we'll still have time left to… you know," she finished telepathically.

"Sounds good to me," said Liam.

Liam had spent most of the previous two days either kissing Chelsea or thinking about kissing Chelsea, which was probably the only reason Mori's mysterious absence hadn't been as heavy on his mind. While even Chelsea couldn't convince Liam to come to youth group, he agreed to meet her afterwards, "for shao kao."

They both knew they probably wouldn't make it that far.

* * *

"You traitor!"

Liam looked up from his PokeGear. It was Mori's voice—which was much more surprising to him than the voice that answered her.

"Mori, please. I had to. You weren't following the deal. What was I supposed to—?"

Liam heard the sound for two pairs of feet chasing each other down the stairs from the youth group apartment. With a bang, Mori and Vasilio came hurtling through the door into the courtyard.

"Look," Vasilio was saying. "I just wanted to—."

"Shut up!" Mori shouted. "Just learn to shut up. You've ruined enough already. I don't see why you have to—."

"You promised me!" said Vasilio. "If you weren't trying to hide it from me, I wouldn't have—."

"Oh, so it's my fault?" spat Mori. "Always my fault. How about you just admit you screwed up and I'm the one suffering for it?"

Neither of them seemed to have noticed that Liam was sitting on the bench just across from the entrance. There was a creaking noise, and several other students—including Taylor, Liz, and Chelsea—emerged from the dark stairwell. The Sneasel on Liam's shoulder twitched uneasily.

"Why won't you let me care about you?" Vasilio pleaded. "Do you really think that I—?"

"I already know what you think," said Mori. "You try to turn everything against him. Well, guess what: sometimes things just hurt, and it's the only way I know to feel… to feel…"

She shuddered. Vasilio reached a comforting hand towards her shoulder, but Mori recoiled.

"Take this," she said, jerking the ring off her left hand and throwing it at Vasilio's feet. "It's… it's bullshit anyways. It's always been bullshit. You know that. That's what… what's really bothering you, isn't it? You're just like my dad. I just wanna be happy, and you can't accept that—."

"Mori, I—."  
"I'm done with you, Vasi," said Mori, as silent tears streamed down her face. "I'm not joking, either. I can't… take this, anymore. You…"  
She put her hands on his chest, as if trying to decide whether to shove him away. By this time, Dustin and his crew had also arrived on the scene, but Mori didn't seem to have noticed him.

"Mori," said Vasilio, his voice astonishingly tender. "It's not…"

Mori took a sudden step back.

"Shut up!" she shouted. "Don't you get it? I don't care what you think of me. I don't want your pity. So just… learn to shut up for once."

She spotted Dustin. Without so much as a contemptuous glance at Vasilio, she pushed past him and joined her boyfriend. Vasilio made no attempt to follow her. He stared at the ground in front of him, his hands in his pockets. The bystanders began to disperse. Liam noticed that Chelsea was staring intently at Vasilio as if trying to work out something in her head.

"Hey Chez," said Liam quietly. "What's going on?"

It felt like a strange question to ask in the aftermath of such a dramatic scene, but Liam sensed that it wasn't just what she had seen and heard that was bothering his girlfriend.

"Just things I shouldn't know," said Chelsea evasively. "Hey, uh, maybe you should go hang out with Vasilio tonight. I think he… yeah, go do that."

"Are you sure—?"

Chelsea kissed him on the cheek.

"Pretty sure, bro. I'll see you later."

She linked arms with Marsha and they trotted away. Liam's Sneasel made a small choking noise, as if it were stifling a laugh.

"Oh, don't look so pleased," said Liam. "Of course I'm peeved about… where's Vasi?"

Vasilio had taken Liam's former seat on the wooden bench. Liam noticed that Taylor, who hadn't said a word so far, was trying silently to get his attention.

"You'll talk to him, right?" said Taylor in a whisper. "Rebecca didn't come tonight, and I don't wanna… I think it should be you, ya know?"

Liam nodded.

"Chez already assigned me," he said. "I'll make sure he's okay."

Taylor winked and walked off in the direction of New Court with Liz and some other older students. If he didn't know Taylor so well, Liam would have been a little annoyed with him. But Taylor's intuition was right. Vasilio didn't want a crowd of friends asking him if he was alright. He just needed one. Liam waited until the last of the youth groupers left, then tried his luck.

"Hey," said Liam awkwardly.

Vasilio gave a heavy sigh, but didn't look up. Liam sat down next to him on the bench.

"What, uh… how did that start?" asked Liam.

Vasilio exhaled through his nose.

"Did you notice her arms?" he said.

It wasn't the answer Liam had expected. His friend sounded completely defeated, as if none of what had just happened actually mattered anymore.

"No? What about them?"

"Well, it's not really…"

Vasilio sighed and shrugged.

"It's a lot of things. It always is with her."

Vasilio cracked his knuckles. Liam wondered whether Vasilio really wanted to talk about it, but resolved to wait it out. For a few minutes, they listened to the faraway sounds of passing cars and the occasional whir of leathery Zubat wings overhead.

"She's cutting again," said Vasilio abruptly. "And I only found out because she rolled up her sleeves to wash her hands after PokeChem on Monday. She didn't switch her ring."

Liam noticed that Mori's thin, silver ring was resting on the bench between them. He picked it up and looked at it closely.

"It's her purity ring," said Vasilio. "She's always hated it. Something her dad got her."

"Wait," said Liam, a slight tremble in his voice. "So, she's—?"

"With Dustin. Yeah," said Vasilio. "But that's not what's bugging me, despite what she thinks. Looking for intimacy in the wrong places isn't new for Mori. I just… don't like how this relationship is changing her."

Vasilio sniffed and wiped his eyes.

"I've had Mori pissed at me before. Lots of times. But the way she's so defensive about this—the way she'll throw our friendship under the bus just to protect… "

Vasilio trailed off.

"So was she with Christine yesterday morning because—?"

"Yeah," said Vasilio. "I told her Mori was cutting. Apparently she can't come back to school until she completes counseling at The Arch—that's the counseling center that Taylor's parents work at. It… hasn't been going well."

Liam snorted. He doubted whether the world's best counselor could overcome Mori's obstinacy.

"I overheard her saying something about lying to the counselor to Dustin… which is how that started."

Vasilio gave another heavy sigh.

"Well, it's out of my hands now. Hopefully everything… turns out okay."

"Do you think Mori's gonna get over it and be friends with you again?"

Vasilio shook his head.

"No. At least… not any time soon. She… I don't know. Maybe I need a break. Being her friend is… hard. Exhausting, really. Especially when you're the only person who—."

He glanced at Liam.

"Look after her for me, okay? You don't need to report on her or anything, but just… be there for her. Alright?"

"Sure," said Liam. "Assuming she doesn't blow up at me too."

"Don't take this the wrong way," said Vasilio. "But you're too much of a sucker for Mori to get really mad at you."

Liam felt a little offended, but he still managed to force a chuckle. It wasn't the right time to take offense at Vasilio's obvious lack of faith in him. And besides, he suspected his friend had a point.

"Let's do some battles or something," said Vasilio suddenly. "I don't want to think about—."

"Vasi!"

It was Rebecca, sprinting towards them with cellphone in hand. Her face told them she had heard the whole thing—or at least more of it—probably from Taylor. Liam was glad she was there to take over, but he wondered whether Vasilio felt the same.

"Are you alright?" asked Rebecca breathlessly, embracing her boyfriend. "I heard Mori yelled at you. Was it—?"

"It's okay, Becca," said Vasilio. "I'm fine."

His voice was calm—almost as if he really wanted to convince her that nothing serious had happened. Liam wondered whether Mori was an off-limits topic with Rebecca. Still, he sensed an opportunity to escape.

"I'll, uh, give you guys some space," said Liam.

Vasilio gave Liam a searching look. Liam shrugged, as if to grant what Vasilio's eyes were alleging—he was ditching him to be with his girlfriend. He was lucky Vasi was a better friend than he was. Mori wouldn't have forgiven him so easily.


	68. Chapter 68

Mori returned to school about a week after the incident with Vasilio. Although she quipped that she had been declared "officially stable" by The Arch, Liam had his doubts. Just as his friend had predicted, she made no effort to reconcile with Vasilio. She sat with Ruth in class—her usual way of showing she was peeved with him—and had lunch with Dustin's crew. For his part, Liam spent most of his time with Chelsea. His conscience nagged at him—but only a little. He knew Vasilio as mature and level-headed enough to look after himself. Liam's only crime was being a bad friend.

It wasn't until Mori herself confronted him, however, that Liam began to take a more serious look at his decisions over the past few weeks. She joined Liam and Chelsea rather unexpectedly for lunch on the last Thursday before the Lunar New Year holiday—a move that Liam initially put down to Dustin being otherwise engaged.

"I'm not that clingy," said Mori sullenly. "I can give him space when he needs it."

Just over herr shoulder, Mori's Misdravus pulled a skeptical face.

"So things are going well?" asked Liam.

He had tried to make his question sound innocent and casual, but Mori's eye's narrowed. She took a long sip from her glass of tea.

"I'm gonna go ask Marsha something," said Chelsea, in a way that told Liam she was clearing out for a while so Mori could have her say without feeling cramped. Mori waited for her to be out of earshot before responding.

"Things are going fine," she said. "Just fine. What makes you ask? Has the judgy albino been poisoning you against me too?"

"I dunno," said Liam. "Just intuition I guess."

Mori snorted.

"Save the intuitions for Vasi and Rebecca," she said, making a disgusted face. "They're the ones who are still doing that 'we're not really dating' thing for no reason. If any relationship in this school has issues..."

She chewed her tongue, as if trying to restrain herself from saying anything more cutting than that.

"I gotta confess, they've kinda grown on me," said Liam, more to annoy Mori than because he actually meant it.

"Yeah, well I know more about these things than you," she snapped. "I'm the relationship expert at this table."

"Oh, come on," said Liam. "I have a girlfriend now. What makes you think just because you've kissed more people than I have that you have some monopoly on relationship wisdom?"

Mori took another long sip of tea. Above her head, Misdreavous cackled gleefully, as if Liam was really in for it.

"Liam," said Mori, "I'm gonna give you some advice you don't want to hear."

"Okay," said Liam curiously.

Mori looked around the restaurant to make sure no one else was listening.

"Slow down with Chelsea a little bit, okay?"

Liam shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I've barely seen you for the past three weeks," said Mori. "Not that I miss you, I just know what it's like when you first start a relationship and all you wanna do is… you know, swap saliva."

Liam felt his face starting to burn.

"And believe me, I know how good that feels," said Mori with a self-conscious smile. "But… just be careful. Don't let that be the whole thing. It's easy to forget why you liked someone in the first place if all you're ever thinking about is when you get to make out with them next."

"Are you… okay with me dating Chelsea?" asked Liam defensively.

Mori shook her head, as if Liam were completely missing the point.

"Look," she said, leaning across the table and fixing Liam with her intense gaze, "If you wanna date a freshie that can read your mind, I can live with that, just as long as she stays out of my head. Chelsea's been through a lot, and I can see how having someone that's there, someone… a little more mature could be good for her. And wipe that smirk of your face—being more mature than Chez Whitaker is not an achievement."

"But she's grown on you," said Liam.

Mori rolled her eyes.

"You're incredibly dense. I'm just saying that, as a girl, I know Chelsea will give you all the making-out you want, and she'll enjoy it, but she'll miss talking to you, and eventually she'll start to wonder if you like her, or just like kissing her. Okay? Have I spelled it out clearly enough?"

Liam nodded glumly.

"Good. Now don't ever make me prove that I know more about relationships than you do again, okay? Just because I make bad decisions doesn't mean I can't give good advice."

The waitress arrived and set their rice and vegetables on the low wooden table. Chelsea was still talking to Marsha.

"Dustin wants to know if you guys wanna go on a double date," said Mori off-handedly. "Not my idea, to be clear, but my dad wasn't gonna let me be alone with my boyfriend, and I'd rather be grounded for a month than spend that much time with Vasilio and… Rebecca."

She pulled a disgusted face.

"I'd be down for that," said Lam, cheering up a little. "I'll ask Chez if she's interested."

"One thing," added Mori. "Make sure your nosy girlfriend stays out of my head."

"She's not like that," said Liam. "But you can wear a tinfoil hat if it makes you feel safer."

Misdreavus made a choking sound, earning a swat from her trainer's chopsticks.


	69. Chapter 69

Liam and Mori set their double date for the first Saturday of the Lunar New Year vacation. Their class had originally planned—it seemed like ages ago—to try for another badge during this break, but the attack on Santiago's over Christmas had changed all that. Miss Snyder had put every student under strict orders not to travel without an adult—effectively scuttling the entire enterprise. Mori was not-so-secretly pleased.

"This is way better than murdering our legs for a badge," she remarked as they caught `Bus 104 for Feather and Petal Street.

Mori had warned Liam to bring a lot of money, which made him nervous. She wouldn't say here they were eating, and Liam didn't know of any restaurants in the winding, narrow walking streets of Feather and Petal. But Mori knew about lots of hidden places. Pizza da Rocchetto was one of them.

Nestled in an old-fashioned Nanzonese house with an enclosed courtyard, Pizza da Rocchetto was a strange meeting of worlds. The architecture and furniture were decidedly local—harkening back to when Everspring was still a mid-sized town with dirt streets and houses made of mud bricks. Yet the cuisine—and the owner—oozed with the bucolic charm of Fiore.

"Ah, it's Mori!" exclaimed Rocchetto. "You come back to me at last."

Rocchetto was a thin, round-faced man, with curly black hair and short beard. He personally escorted them to a second-floor table overlooking the walled courtyard and lighted by flickering candles. Liam took an immediate liking to him. His heavy Fiore accent and theatrical delivery was almost comical, but his enthusiasm was so genuine that it proved contagious. The menu at Pizza da Rocchetto was small, but Rocchetto seemed to have more passion for each item than most restaurateurs had for their whole menu.

"Oh, you must try the lasagna," said Rocchetto as Liam and Chelsea examined the tiny, hand-written menus. "I make it myself. My Charmeleon, he keeps the oven always hot. And the mushroom—fresh from Hempshear. Ah!—delicious."

It was hard to say no to Rocchetto, but Liam had never been keen on lasagna. He and Chelsea decided to split an authentic Fioran pizza, and Rocchetta seemed satisfied with their choice. He swept away their menus and disappeared into the unseen kitchen on the first floor.

"Where'd you find that guy, Mori?" asked Liam.

"Rocchetto's been in Everspring since… I dunno, forever," said Mori. "He's fun. Plus, you can trust him not to rat you out to the parental authorities."

Liam raised an eyebrow.

"Meaning?"

Mori gave a mischievous smile and shot a glance at Dustin. He produced a pack of Jadetower cigarettes from his ragged hoodie and slid it carelessly to the center of the table.

"Crap," said Chelsea in Liam's head. "Bro, are they seriously—?"

"Asthma," said Liam, pushing the pack back towards Dustin. "Also, I prefer not being expelled."

Dustin smiled sardonically, as though Liam had given an incredibly lame excuse.

"I told you Rocchetto's not gonna rat us out," said Mori, lighting her cigarette on the red candle in the middle of the table. "But whatever. Be a coward if you want."

Liam was less offended by Mori's teasing because he knew her opinion of him hadn't changed. It was Dustin's smug expression that bugged him. He really couldn't figure Dustin out. He had an undeniable aura of irreverent coolness—an unaffected mystique that Liam couldn't help but admire. He was too freckled and scrawny to be traditionally handsome, but Liam could see—or sort of see—why Mori looked at him so hungrily. The flicker of his dark eyes and faint curl at the corner of his mouth gave what would have otherwise been a bored, blank expression a fascinating intelligence, and the messiness of his curly, reddish hair added the roguish appeal that Liam imagined was the main draw for Mori. She had readily confessed that she had bad taste in boys.

* * *

After the initial shock of the cigarettes, the rest of the evening turned out surprisingly pleasant. Dustin didn't say much, and Chelsea said even less, but the food was excellent, and Liam and Mori had a good time teasing each other, making fun of their absent friends, and debating the relative virtues and vices of their teachers.

"Look, Coach Tang is okay in Battle Class," said Liam. "But I don't know what they were thinking letting her teach PokeChemistry. I think I understand it better than she does, and I don't get it at all."

"She's such a joke," said Mori. "I don't get why Kahakai doesn't fire her."

"I think she's nice," ventured Chelsea. "Even if she is an awful teacher."

"Yeah, well I wish she would be nice when she was grading the equations she didn't teach me how to do," said Mori bitterly. "Hey, you can read her mind, right? Does it make any more sense on the inside of her head?"

It was the first time Mori had acknowledged Chelsea's psychic powers to her face. Liam glanced at his girlfriend, wondering how she would respond.

"I don't read other people's minds on purpose," said Chelsea. "Not without permission, at least. I don't think I've ever tried on Coach Tang."

"I bet the inside of her head is like a mianbao driver's glove compartment," said Dustin.

"Ew," said Mori and Chelsea together.

Mori's Misdreavus, who was tumbling through the rafters of the restaurant, gave a pleased snicker.

"So, Mori," said Chelsea suddenly. "I have a question, if you're okay with—."

"You digging around in my head?" asked Mori suspiciously.

"No way," said Chelsea seriously. "I'm keeping myself busy with what's in his head. I can't multitask. I just wanted to ask about what happened with that… thing I wasn't supposed to know. From last semester."

"Oh," said Mori. "Yeah, that... "

She extinguished her cigarette in the ashtray.

"It was a dead end. Somebody lost some files or something. They have no idea where she is. The only way I'll ever find her is if I go looking for her myself."

Mori leaned back in her chair with a resigned sigh.

"You should take me with you when you graduate," she said to Dustin. "Doesn't a road trip through Hoenn with your girlfriend sound like a fun gap year?"

"Sure," said Dustin, but he said it in such an off-handed way Liam was sure he didn't really mean it at all. Mori, however, seemed content with the noncommittal response.

Perhaps she saw something in it that Liam didn't.

* * *

It was nearly nine o'clock when they said goodbye to Rocchetto—who was enjoying a cigarette and a glass of wine in the courtyard of his restaurant—and took a taxi back to New Court. Liam gave Chelsea the front seat so she didn't have to share the back with Mori and Dustin. They had been getting more and more affectionate all evening, and Liam did his best to ignore whatever it was they were doing in the seat next to him. As they disembarked and made their way to the dry fountain in the middle of the New Court apartments, Liam was starting to wonder if they had arrived at the real purpose of the double-date—at least from her point of view.

"So," Liam began, "what do you guys wanna…?"

He trailed off. He had noticed a mischievous sparkle in Mori's dark eyes. Clearly, she already had plans.

"Me and Dustin are gonna go… do stuff," said Mori. "You and your little redhead can spend some alone time or do whatever. I don't really care. But if anyone asks, we were with you."

"Weren't you the one who was lecturing me about how a relationship can't just be kissing all time?" said Liam warily.

Mori shrugged.

"Yeah, well, I'm a hypocrite. Thank me later."

She winked at him and walked off with Dustin, leaving Liam and Chelsea standing awkwardly by the empty fountain. Liam turned to his girlfriend and tried to read her expression. He was embarrassed by Mori's behavior, and as much as he wanted to sneak off to a dark staircase with Chelsea, he had also taken Mori's advice to heart, and he didn't want to cast it aside as flippantly as she had. He noticed that Chelsea was looking at him with trepidation, as if she could sense the conflict inside of him.

"You know, we haven't battled in forever," said Liam after a long pause. "That grassy area under the ring road should be empty. Wanna give our Pokemon some exercise?"

Chelsea grinned, and Liam thought he saw both pleasure and relief on her face.

"That sounds fun, bro."


	70. Chapter 70

"Come on!" shouted Mori. "You're such a Slowpoke!"

Liam could barely hear her over the echoing rumble of exploding fireworks. They were nearly at the top of the stairs, and he turned around to make sure Chelsea and Marsha hadn't fallen too far behind. They were just two flights down, panting heavily as they trudged arm-in-arm up the narrow stairwell.

"This is crazy!" Liam bellowed to Taylor.

It felt like trying to talk over a lawn mower.

"Wait till you see it from the roof!" said Taylor, leaning very close to Liam's ear.

Chelsea and Marsha arrived on the landing, followed closely by Rebecca, Vasilio, and Liz. Mori hadn't waited—she was already halfway up the rusty metal ladder that led to the roof.

"Is it locked?" called Liz.

Mori was fumbling with the hatch that barred their way.

"I… don't… ouch!"

There was a loud clang, followed by a sharp metallic scrape. Mori grunted.

"Got it. Just give me one…"

The roof hatch creaked against its rusted hinges, but a massive bang that felt more like a bomb than a firework drowned out the noise. Mori disappeared through the opening, and Liam followed close behind her. They emerged onto the rooftops of New Court, illuminated by the light of a thousand fireworks exploding in every direction. What had been a rumble in the stairwell became a roar.

"Oh my gosh!" Liam shouted, but no one could hear him.

He had never seen anything like it. Every way he looked, Liam could see bursts of fiery color, shrieking bottle rockets, and singing comets of sparkling light. He followed Mori through the rows of solar-heated water tanks to the northern edge of the roof, where they could look out towards the center of the city. The view was spectacular. The entire city was lit up by flashes of red, green, yellow, and white. In the distance, Liam could see the sparks reflecting off the windows of the TV Tower near the White Mudsdale Statue, and even the faraway glimmer of Jade Lake Park flecked with red and gold light. Liam felt Chelsea materialize beside him, but he couldn't take his eyes off the skyline.

BANG!

A massive firework exploded just a few meters above them. Liam ducked, and he felt a streak of hot ash pass just inches over his head. There was wild laughter coming from the street below, and Liam caught sight of a group of Everspring students launching heavy, potato-shaped fireworks out of a plastic tube.

"Tim!" called Taylor. "Dude, you tryin' to kill us?"

Liam saw the shadowy outline of Tim Choi give an exaggerated shrug. Despite his near-death experience, he couldn't help but laugh as well. Dangerous fun was still fun, and his friends were more than ready with a counterattack. Vasilio, Taylor, Rebecca, and Liz aimed Roman candles down at the street below, and they soon had Tim Choi and his friends on the run. Liz's Pignite provided the ignition, while Taylor's Simipour patrolled up and down in the attitude of a fire safety warden. In practice, his version of fire safety involved drenching whoever looked most unsuspecting then fleeing the onslaught of Roman candle fire as fast as his monkeyish legs would carry him.

Mori kept her distance from the others. She had agreed to come with them mostly as an excuse to get out of the house—and away from her parents—but she was still mad at Vasilio. She never attempted more than polite conversation, even with Taylor. She leaned over the edge, staring wistfully out at the burning and flickering lights. Liam knew better than to break in on her reverie.

Chelsea and Marsha, both too timid for the ferocious kick of the Roman candles, were dancing with sparklers. Liam was watching them—admiring the graceful flexibility of his girlfriend's body—when he sensed an unexpected presence on the rooftop. Perhaps he had caught her silhouette out of the corner of his eye—a dark shadow darting between the water tanks. Perhaps not. But he could feel that she was there. Liam scanned the gaps between the water tanks—trying to make sure he was seeing an actual person, not a ghost or illusion. The light of a nearby firework showed him a glimpse of blonde hair. It was definitely Claire. And she had to be here for him.

Liam learned over and whispered into Chelsea's left ear.

"Chez, she's—."

"I know," said Chelsea's voice in his mind. "Go ahead, bro. I'll cover for you."

Liam chewed his tongue and shot a glance at Mori.

"It's really okay," said Chelsea, squeezing Liam by the hand. "She needs you. I can tell. I'll make sure Mori doesn't find out."

Liam gave a hesitant nod of assent. Chelsea was right, of course. She usually was. Liam pulled the hood of his jacket over his head and slipped into the darkness as a huge blast in the direction of Feather and Petal caught his friends' attention. He could see Claire—dressed in an old hoodie and sweatpants—crouching in the shadow cast by a solar panel. He ventured a surreptitious wave, and she beckoned him urgently to follow her.

He didn't realize that Vasilio had noticed his escape.


	71. Chapter 71

Claire had half-expected Liam to brush her off. She had almost been hoping for it. That would have been a convenient excuse not to say anything. But now he was here, and they were alone, walking together under the overpass between New Court and Liam's house in White Gardens. Liam's Sneasel was watching her narrowly, but its trainer seemed almost pleased to see her. That, somehow, made it worse.

"So, what's up?" he asked.

He sounded so casual. She hadn't seen him in weeks—not since the beginning of January. She had her excuses. She had been busy—really busy. Busy keeping the grunts in line and trying to stop hints about their plans leaking out with the grunts who slipped away. Not that she could tell him that. And anyways, none of it really mattered.

"Liam, I have to—sorry, what was it you asked?"

He raised an eyebrow.

"I just asked what was up," said Liam. "I can tell you're wound up about something. I figured you might as well get it out of your system."

Claire frowned.

"This isn't just… some dumb thing," she said. "I… I have to tell you something. Something really important."

"Okay, okay," said Liam, holding up his hands defensively. ""I was just… being a little impatient, I guess. You can go ahead. I'm listening."

She studied his expression carefully. He wasn't prepared for what was coming. She could hear the concern in his voice—the non judgmental concern of a friend. Her chest was so knotted and tense it was painful. She was going to ruin their friendship. But she had to tell him. She had to start somewhere.

"It's… I need to confess something."

Confess did seem like the perfect word. She felt like a criminal about to come clean to a judge. She reached down and pulled up a handful of grass. It was more an excuse to avoid Liam's eyes than anything else.

"What do you mean?"

Something had changed in his voice. It might have been suspicion. It may have just been concern. She couldn't tell. She was shredding the blades of grass with her fingernails, trying to find an excuse to back out. She didn't have to tell him. It was none of his business. It would ruin everything. She couldn't—.

"Claire, it's okay," said Liam. "Whatever it is... I don't know, maybe I can help."

"I wish you could," said Claire with a bitter smile. "Can you change who I am?"

"I wouldn't if I could."

"Don't say that," said Claire sharply. "You're only making it worse, okay. I—."

The loud bang of a nearby firework drowned out whatever she was going to say. She was grateful for it. It gave her a few more seconds. A few more fleeting moments of being his friend.

"Liam, I hurt Pokemon," she blurted out. "During the past year, I've… done it twice. Back in August, I hurt a gym leader's Pokemon to make her tell me where Rasmus was. And last month…"

She could see the anger flickering in his eyes.

"Last month I hurt someone's Pokemon because Rasmus couldn't get into their head, and we needed to know if—."

Liam had thrown up his hands despairingly at the word "we" and turned to walk away. Claire grabbed him by his sleeve.

"I know it was wrong," she said desperately. "I knew it was wrong when I did it. But I still did it. I was afraid of what the others would think of me if I didn't. I don't like hurting Pokemon. I swear I don't. I know you probably don't believe that. You probably think I'm sick and cruel and hurting Pokemon makes me feel good, but…"

She couldn't say anymore. She stared at the ground, waiting for Liam to explode at her. But it didn't come. There was only silence. A silence that seemed to go on for hours. And that was somehow worse.

"Liam," she said at last. "Come on. Say something."

Liam shook his head.

"So, what, you kick a Rattata and then come to me for pity? Did you expect me to feel sorry for you?"

"No, I—you don't understand."

"How did I know that line would come up?" said Liam, rolling his eyes. "That's always your excuse."

He was looking at her with undisguised disdain.

"It's not an excuse," said Claire. "It's the truth. I'm not the person that sat across from you in the cave anymore. I'm not here for your pity. I'm not telling you because I think—."

"So what do you want?"

Claire took a deep breath. Somehow, this was an even harder truth to tell. But she persevered.

"Forgiveness."

Liam scoffed.

"I'm the wrong person to ask," he said. "It wasn't my Pokemon you tortured."

He had said it. Said the word she had been too afraid to say. Claire felt her whole body trembling. She reached for Liam's shoulder to try and steady herself, but he stepped out of her reach.

"I w-wanted to ask someone I thought might f-f-forgive me," said Claire. "I guess that's actually n-n-no one."

"What made you think I would—?"

Claire collapsed into the grass. She was gasping for breath—straining against the painful tightness in her chest. She wanted to curl up in a ball and die. She hated herself—hated herself more fully than she ever had before. She had finally done it—she had failed everyone, just like she always knew she would. She remembered what the Grandmaster—no, not the Grandmaster. He had just been her dad then. She remembered what her dad had said on her first day of middle school.

"Claire, you're not a child anymore. You're becoming a lady. And you need to take some responsibility. There are lots of people in the world that don't pull their own weight. They mess things up for everyone else and expect the responsible people to clean up their messes. Those people are worthless. Don't be like them, Claire. Grow up to be a woman that's worth something."

"Worthless," she mouthed.

She had failed him too. She was failing him by asking their enemies for comfort and forgiveness. He didn't know who she really was. He hadn't known for a long time. There were only two people in the whole world who really knew her. One of them was standing over her with his arms crossed, glaring down at her with contempt.

The other was Rasmus.

"There's no… p-p-point," Claire sobbed. "Everything I d-do… everything is… worthless."

"Claire."

She whirled around to face Liam's voice. It was so much closer than she had expected. He was sitting in the grass beside her, looking at her with a strange expression. It wasn't anger. It wasn't hate. It wasn't even contempt for her weakness. She wasn't sure what it was.

"Claire," he said. "You want me to be your friend, right?"

Claire nodded. She couldn't say anything. Her cheeks were stained with tears and there was snot dribbling down her face.

"Then I have a question for you. Team Power is moving soon, right? You don't have to tell me when. Maybe in a few days, maybe in a week? So why does it matter? When that happens, we're back to being enemies. What good is my forgiveness if you're gonna throw away our friendship anyways?"

"I…"

She didn't have a good answer. She didn't have anything. Just him. Her only friend in the whole world.

"Liam," said Claire quietly. "Is it already too late for me?"

She already knew the answer. But she wanted to hear him say it. She wanted to hear him give up on her.  
"Chez doesn't think it is," he said.

His face was just inches from hers.

"But you do."

He shook his head.

"How could I give up on my friend?"

He was still so naive. Still holding onto a hope she knew was pointless. She felt the strength coming back into her legs.

"Claire, don't go back," said Liam. "Please. You don't have to. Stay with me. I'll sneak you into my bedroom. You can sleep on my top bunk. Me and Chez will vouch for you. We'll protect you."

"What if they send me to jail?" said Claire wildly. "What if they take away my Pokemon, and… and…"

She dug her nails into her palms.

"You're not a coward," she muttered. "You're not a coward, you're not a coward, you're not…"

It wasn't working. It hadn't worked for a long time. Ever since she had met him.

"I'm too afraid," she said. "I… can't do it. I'm sorry."

She climbed to her feet and reached for the Pokeball that held her Braviary.

"Claire," said Liam, catching her by the arm.

"What?"

The sharpness of her voice surprised her. His grip was firm, but not painful. Her eyes met his.

"I think… I think we both know the next time we meet, we'll be enemies," said Liam. "So, I just wanted to say… I've liked being your friend. And I hope—I mean, I don't know how it could be, but—I hope this isn't the end."

Liam's face wasn't particularly expressive, but Claire could see the affection in his eyes. They were alright. The rest of him was scruffy and slouchy, but his eyes...

"Tell Chez I'm sorry," said Claire. "But I really mean it this time."

She kissed him softly on the lips. She wasn't really sure why she didn't. He wasn't attractive. She wasn't in love with him. But she liked him. And she liked that he liked her.

"Goodbye, Liam Holbrook," she said. "We're enemies now."

"We'll see," he said. "Bye, Claire."

She climbed onto her Braviary and soared away into the night.

* * *

Author's Note: And we're back! I took a month off to participate in NaNoWriMo, which I completed successfully. I hope to finish this story by the end of the year, which should give you a hint to how many chapters are left to go. Thanks for reading.


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